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. 2022 Sep 7;11(18):5270.
doi: 10.3390/jcm11185270.

A Prospective, Case-Control Study of Serum Metabolomics in Neonates with Late-Onset Sepsis and Necrotizing Enterocolitis

Agathi Thomaidou  1 , Olga Deda  2   3 , Olga Begou  3   4 , Artemis Lioupi  3   4 , Angeliki Kontou  1 , Helen Gika  2   3 , Eleni Agakidou  1 , Georgios Theodoridis  3   4 , Kosmas Sarafidis  1
Affiliations

A Prospective, Case-Control Study of Serum Metabolomics in Neonates with Late-Onset Sepsis and Necrotizing Enterocolitis

Agathi Thomaidou et al. J Clin Med. .

Abstract

Late-onset sepsis (LOS) and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) are major causes of neonatal morbidity and mortality. In this prospective, case-control study, we evaluated the metabolic profile of neonates with LOS and NEC. Blood samples were collected from 15 septic neonates and 17 neonates with NEC at the clinical suspicion of the specific diseases. Sixteen gestational and postnatal age-matched neonates without sepsis/NEC served as controls. Serum metabolic profiles were assessed using liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Metabolomic analysis revealed significant differences in the metabolic profile of neonates with LOS or NEC compared to controls. More specifically, a number of molecules possibly identified as phosphatidylcholines or lysophosphatidylcholines were found to be significantly reduced both in neonates with LOS and those with NEC compared to controls. Additionally, L-carnitine could efficiently discriminate NEC cases from controls. The results of the current study suggest that certain phospholipids and their derivatives could possibly be used as biomarkers for the early detection of LOS and NEC.

Keywords: biomarkers; diagnosis; lipids.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) score plot model between the control and late-onset (LOS) groups. Y and X axes represent [t2] and [t1], respectively.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Box plots of significant metabolites in the control and late-onset (LOS) groups.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) score plots of the control and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) groups. Y and X axes represent [t2] and [t1], respectively.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Box plots of significant metabolites in the control and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) groups.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Chromatographic peak of phosphatidylcholine (16:0/0:0) or lysophosphatidylcholine (16:0/0:0) along with MS and MS/MS spectra.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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