Metabolomics studies identify novel diagnostic and prognostic indicators in patients with alcoholic hepatitis

Table 3 Model for end-stage liver disease-adjusted average biomarker levels

Biomarker (μmol/L)	Cirrhosis with acute decompensation from etiologies other than alcohol (n = 23)	Alcoholic hepatitis (n = 25)	P-value
Choline	5.8 (4.7, 7.2)	7.0 (5.7, 8.6)	0.22
TMAO	0.74 (0.34, 1.6)	0.87 (0.42, 1.8)	0.76
Carnitine	37.2 (32.1, 43.1)	32.6 (28.3, 37.5)	0.2
Betaine	83.6 (64.7, 108.2)	134.0 (104.7, 171.5)	0.012a
Butyrobetaine	1.6 (1.3, 1.8)	1.7 (1.4, 2.0)	0.46
Crotonobetaine	0.12 (0.10, 0.15)	0.14 (0.12, 0.18)	0.35
Creatinine	92.0 (75.0, 112.9)	59.3 (48.8, 72.1)	0.003b
Ornithine	71.6 (59.1, 86.9)	62.0 (51.5, 74.6)	0.29
Lysine	131.3 (112.7, 153.1)	134.8 (116.4, 156.2)	0.81
Methyl-lysine	4.0 (2.9, 5.6)	3.4 (2.5, 4.7)	0.46
Argine	61.7 (52.0, 73.2)	61.8 (52.4, 72.8)	0.99
Citrulline	40.2 (33.2, 48.6)	23.7 (19.7, 28.5)	< 0.001b
MMA	0.24 (0.20, 0.27)	0.21 (0.19, 0.24)	0.32
Homocitrulline	0.73 (0.55, 0.97)	0.37 (0.28, 0.48)	0.001b
Leucine	52.8 (44.0, 63.4)	48.8 (40.9, 58.1)	0.54
Iso-leucine	27.1 (21.7, 33.8)	28.0 (22.6, 34.6)	0.83
Valine	115.4 (100.4, 132.7)	101.8 (89.1, 116.4)	0.2
Phenylalanine	90.4 (78.0, 104.7)	60.2 (52.3, 69.3)	< 0.001b
Tyrosine	166.0 (126.8, 217.3)	107.4 (83.0, 139.1)	0.025a
Acetyl-carnitine	17.8 (14.9, 21.1)	16.9 (14.3, 20.0)	0.69
Propionyl-carnitine	1.02 (0.76, 1.4)	1.2 (0.88, 1.5)	0.5
Butyryl-carnitine	2.0 (1.6, 2.5)	2.2 (1.8, 2.7)	0.58
Trimethyl-Lysine	1.00 (0.81, 1.2)	1.1 (0.92, 1.4)	0.42
SDMA	0.81 (0.65, 1.02)	0.58 (0.47, 0.72)	0.042a
Dimethyl-Lysine	0.92 (0.72, 1.2)	0.74 (0.59, 0.94)	0.22
ADMA	0.90 (0.78, 1.03)	0.82 (0.72, 0.93)	0.32
Pentanoyl-carnitine	0.25 (0.20, 0.31)	0.27 (0.22, 0.34)	0.48
Hexanoyl-carnitine	0.69 (0.56, 0.85)	0.61 (0.50, 0.74)	0.38
Octenoyl-carnitine	0.05 (0.02, 0.12)	0.01 (0.00, 0.02)	0.009b

Values presented as mean (95%CI) and P-values obtained from analysis of covariance. The natural logarithm of each biomarker was modeled as the outcome variable with disease group and MELD as the independent variables.

^aP < 0.05,

^bP < 0.01. ADMA: Asymmetric dimethylarginine; SDMA: Symmetric dimethylarginine; MMA: Monomethylarginine; TMAO: Trimethylamine N-oxide.