Metabolites (Jul 2022)

Association of Nasopharyngeal and Serum Glutathione Metabolism with Bronchiolitis Severity and Asthma Risk: A Prospective Multicenter Cohort Study

  • Michihito Kyo,
  • Zhaozhong Zhu,
  • Makiko Nanishi,
  • Ryohei Shibata,
  • Tadao Ooka,
  • Robert J. Freishtat,
  • Jonathan M. Mansbach,
  • Carlos A. Camargo,
  • Kohei Hasegawa

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo12080674
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 8
p. 674

Abstract

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Infants hospitalized for bronchiolitis are at high risk for asthma. Glutathione-related metabolites may antagonize oxidative stress, which induces airway injuries in respiratory infection and subsequent airway remodeling. However, little is known about the relationship of glutathione-related metabolites with bronchiolitis severity and the risk of asthma. In a multicenter prospective observational cohort study of infants hospitalized for bronchiolitis, we measured nasopharyngeal and serum glutathione-related metabolites by using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. We then examined their association with bronchiolitis severity (defined by positive pressure ventilation (PPV) use). We also identified severity-related glutathione-related metabolite signatures and examined their association with asthma at age 6 years. In 1013 infants, we identified 12 nasopharyngeal and 10 serum glutathione-related metabolites. In the multivariable models, lower relative abundances of seven metabolites, e.g., substrates of glutathione, including cysteine (adjOR 0.21, 95%CI 0.06–0.76), glycine (adjOR 0.25, 95%CI 0.07–0.85), and glutamate (adjOR 0.25, 95%CI 0.07–0.88), were significantly associated with PPV use (all FDR p = 0.04). In infants hospitalized for bronchiolitis, glutathione-related metabolites were associated with bronchiolitis severity and asthma risk.

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