Metabolomics profile identifies coronary artery disease risk in NAFLD

WASHINGTON — Non-targeted metabolomics profile determined which patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease had comorbid coronary artery disease, according to a study presented at Digestive Disease Week 2018.

Elzafir Elsheikh, PhD, from the Betty and Guy Beatty Center for Integrated Research, Inova Health System in Virginia, and colleagues prospectively enrolled patients with NAFLD scheduled for coronary angiography who underwent hepatic ultrasound. The researchers used serum samples for non-targeted metabolomics analysis using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry coupled technique.

“Patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease have increased risks for coronary artery disease,” Elsheikh said in his presentation. “In fact, CAD is the most common cause of death in NAFLD.”

According to Elsheikh, metabolomics offers a broad assessment of human biochemical activities through detection and quantification of low-weight molecules generated by metabolism.

The study comprised 109 patients with NAFLD, 62 of whom had CAD. Mean patient age was 60 years, 76% were men, 88% were white and 17% had diabetes.

Elsheikh presented three-dimensional principal component analyses in which each point on the plot represented the entire metabolome present in a serum sample. The analyses showed the metabolomics profile of patients with NAFLD clearly separated patients with CAD from those without CAD. The researchers found confirming results in a comparison of metabolomics on chromatograms.

“After validation, this noninvasive technique can be used to identify NAFLD subjects at risk for CAD,” Elsheikh concluded, adding that the next step is to run blind samples to validate the results of the study. – by Talitha Bennett

Reference:

Elsheikh E, et al. Abstract 248. Presented at: Digestive Disease Week; June 2-5, 2018; Washington, D.C.

Disclosure: Elsheikh reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the DDW faculty disclosure index for a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.