Photo Credit: iStock.com/Sirirat Rattanakasin

Urinary VOC sensors showed promise in detecting diabetic kidney disease non-invasively. 

In the study published in the April 2025 issue of Scientific Reports, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emerged as non-invasive biomarkers of metabolic alterations, with their use beyond oncology still largely unexplored.  

Researchers assessed the utility of VOC analysis in diagnosing diabetic kidney disease (DKD), a major cause of chronic kidney disease. VOC patterns showed potential in distinguishing DKD from other nephrotic conditions. 

They estimated 135 biopsy-confirmed participants with urinary VOC profiles using n-type metal oxide semiconductor gas sensors in a sensor chamber and measured hydrogen and ethanol VOCs at a minimum electrical resistance threshold of 4500 mV. 

The results showed that hydrogen and ethanol VOCs at a resistance threshold of 4500 mV distinguished DKD from nephrotic syndromes (NS) and controls. Mean resistance differences for DKD vs normal, DM without DKD, and NS were 868.3, 145.5, and 881.2 ohms (P < 0.05). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis gave AUC values of 1.0, 0.64, and 0.99, respectively (P < 0.05). 

Investigators found that urine-based VOC analysis distinguished DKD from other glomerular diseases through unique hydrogen and ethanol profiles.  

Source: nature.com/articles/s41598-025-00013-6