Serum N¹-methylnicotinamide is Associated with Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction in Chinese

We previously reported that serum N¹-methylnicotinamide (me-NAM), an indicator of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT) activity, was associated with obesity, diabetes, and coronary artery disease in Chinese patients. However, whether NNMT might play a role in the development of heart failure remains to be elucidated. In this study, the associations between levels of serum me-NAM and left ventricular structure and function were investigated in Chinese patients. Serum me-NAM was measured by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in 265 subjects. M-mode, 2-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography were performed with the GE Vivid E9 system to assess left ventricular structure and function. Of note, the participants in the top tertile of me-NAM had the lowest left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), preload recruitable stroke work (PRSW), and highest prevalence of left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD). Serum me-NAM was negatively correlated with LVEF and PRSW before and after adjusted for potential confounding variables (P ≤ 0.02). In multiple logistic regression analyses, the subjects in the top tertile of me-NAM had highest risks for LVSD (OR 6.80; 95% CI 1.26-36.72; P = 0.026), which was also observed in continuous analyses (OR 9.48; 95% CI 1.41-63.48; P = 0.02). In conclusion, serum me-NAM is negatively associated with LVEF and PRSW and accordingly positively associated with the prevalence of LVSD in Chinese patients.