Metabolomics in pediatric lower respiratory tract infections and sepsis: a literature review

Abstract

Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children. The ability of healthcare providers to diagnose and prognose LRTIs in the pediatric population remains a challenge, as children can present with similar clinical features regardless of the underlying pathogen or ultimate severity. Metabolomics, the large-scale analysis of metabolites and metabolic pathways offers new tools and insights that may aid in diagnosing and predicting the outcomes of LRTIs in children. This review highlights the latest literature on the clinical utility of metabolomics in providing care for children with bronchiolitis, pneumonia, COVID-19, and sepsis. IMPACT: This article summarizes current metabolomics approaches to diagnosing and predicting the course of pediatric lower respiratory infections. This article highlights the limitations to current metabolomics research and highlights future directions for the field.

Fig. 1. Schematic representation of the design of a metabolomics study for pediatric lower respiratory infections.

Cohorts with two different infection types are recruited, and then a sample is collected from each participant. The sample is then analyzed using either nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy or mass spectrometry to detect all metabolites. The data is then analyzed to generate a metabolic profile for each infection type, which can then be used clinically to help manage respiratory infections in children.