Serum metabolomics analysis and its clinical value in children with asthma

Purpose: This study aimed to provide new approaches for diagnosing and treating childhood asthma by analyzing serum non-targeted metabolomics data of children with asthma. Methods: 26 children with acute asthma attacks (asthma group) and 20 healthy children (healthy control group) were prospectively enrolled in the study. Metabolomics analysis of serum samples from both groups was performed using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (UHPLC/MS). Data processing and analysis were performed using Progenesis QI v3.0 software, including Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Orthogonal Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (OPLS-DA). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of significantly differential metabolites were drawn, and the area under the ROC curve Area under curve (AUC) was compared to search for potential biomarkers and metabolic pathways with strong discriminatory ability. The correlations between each differential metabolite and clinical indicators were analyzed. Results: The metabolic profiles of the asthma and healthy control groups differed significantly. A total of 28 differential metabolites were identified, of which eight could be regarded as potential biomarkers. The most relevant metabolic pathways included linoleic acid metabolism, bile acid biosynthesis, phenylalanine metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, and arachidonic acid metabolism, and some metabolites were correlated with inflammatory factors and immune cells. Conclusion: This study revealed the metabolic mechanisms associated with asthma. By regulating the key enzymes and metabolites in the aforementioned metabolic pathways, new ideas for individualized diagnosis and treatment of asthma are provided.