Potential of breath and skin analysis for monitoring blood glucose concentration in diabetes.

The ability to monitor blood glucose noninvasively has long been a goal of those with diabetes, due to the pain and inconvenience of current blood glucose monitoring devices. This article investigates the potential for monitoring compounds in breath and emitted through skin for inferring blood glucose concentration. Potential markers and an assessment of their suitability for noninvasive monitoring are discussed. The varying technologies developed for monitoring volatile organic compounds in breath and from the skin of diabetics and their suitability for development as a hand-held device is reviewed. The potential exists for the use of breath and skin monitoring as an alternative to blood glucose, but it may take years to collect sufficient clinical data for robust correlations to be possible.