Measuring 13C isotope levels in the breath of paediatric patients could save lives by giving an early indication of sepsis. 
More than 30,000 cases of severe sepsis are estimated to occur in the UK every year. But Daniel Bütz and co-workers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, US, are seeking to fight these figures.
As for many conditions, early identification increases survival rate – however, this is not easy. Existing methods to check for sepsis either lack the sensitivity needed for early detection or are both expensive and invasive.
To read the full article, please go to Chemistry World.
Changes in breath carbon isotope composition as a potential biomarker of inflammatory acute phase response in mechanically ventilated pediatric patients
Juan P. Boriosi, Dennis G. Maki, Rhonda A. Yngsdal-Krenz, Ellen R. Wald, Warren P. Porter, Mark E. Cook and Daniel E. Bütz
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2014, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C3JA50331C, Paper
