Microbiome and Volatile Organic Compounds in Patients With CDH

Despite improved prenatal diagnostics and therapeutic possibilities, congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) represents a cross-disciplinary challenge. With an incidence of 1:2000-1:5000, it is a common disease that effects centres of paediatrics and juvenile medicine. The etiology is still unclear. Patients with this diagnosis are usually affected by other comorbities such as failure to thrive, gastroesophageal reflux, funnel chest, etc. Depending on the extent of CDH, a more or less pronounced lung hypoplasia with functional impairment occurs. The health-relevant importance of the human microbiome is increasingly evident. While it was previously particularly associated with the gastrointestinal tract, other systems such as the pulmonary microbiome have become the focus of scientific interest. Research into changes in the microbiome and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) could provide new insights into the underlying mechanisms and therapeutic measures of this disease.