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Published on: December 6, 2016
Metabolic alterations in pediatric obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: Insights from acylcarnitines profiling
Maria Grazia Di Lago1, Francesco Salonna2, Nicoletta Lionetti1
1Department of Translational Biomedicine and Neuroscience, University 'Aldo Moro' of Bari, Bari, 70124, Italy.
Insights
Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) is linked to metabolic issues. This study found lower levels of Acetylcarnitine (C2) and Octenoylcarnitine (C8:1) in children with OSAS, suggesting potential biomarkers.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric metabolomics
- Sleep medicine
- Biomarker discovery
Background:
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) is a global health issue with severe metabolic consequences, particularly intermittent hypoxia (IH).
- The metabolic profile of pediatric OSAS is poorly understood and differs from adult forms.
- This pilot study investigates plasma acylcarnitine profiles in children with OSAS.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the plasma acylcarnitine signature in children diagnosed with moderate-to-severe OSAS.
- To identify potential metabolic alterations specific to pediatric OSAS.
- To explore novel biomarkers for pediatric OSAS.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 27 plasma acylcarnitines using Flow Injection Analysis-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (FIA-MS/MS).
- Study cohort comprised 11 children aged 4-10 years with confirmed moderate-to-severe OSAS.
- Comparison of patient data against age-stratified pediatric reference limits.
Main Results:
- A significant depletion of Acetylcarnitine (C2) and Octenoylcarnitine (C8:1) was observed in children with OSAS.
- These findings remained statistically significant after False Discovery Rate (FDR) correction.
- The observed acylcarnitine changes were specific to these two species.
Conclusions:
- The study identified a distinct metabolic signature in pediatric OSAS, characterized by reduced C2 and C8:1 levels.
- Acetylcarnitine (C2) and Octenoylcarnitine (C8:1) are proposed as potential biomarkers for pediatric OSAS.
- These findings suggest C2 and C8:1 as possible targets for future nutritional interventions in pediatric OSAS.
Background:
Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) is increasingly recognized as a serious, worldwide public health concern characterized by significant systemic consequences, primarily metabolic dysfunction driven by intermittent hypoxia (IH). The specific metabolic phenotype of pediatric OSAS remains largely unexplored, as the pediatric form differs substantially from the adult phenotype. To address this gap, this pilot investigation sought to characterize plasma acylcarnitine signatures in a children cohort using tandem mass spectrometry.
Methods:
We analyzed 27 plasma acylcarnitines in 11 children (4-10 years) with polysomnography-confirmed moderate-to-severe OSAS using FIA-MS/MS. The resulting data were compared to age-stratified reference limits for the pediatric population.
Results:
Our data reveal a severe and statistically significant depletion exclusively in two species, Acetylcarnitine (C2) and Octenoylcarnitine (C8:1), compared to age-matched reference values, which remained significant even after stringent False Discovery Rate (FDR) correction.
Conclusion:
Our study has provided important insights into the pediatric OSAS metabolic landscape, albeit based on a small sample size. We observed a selective reduction of circulating C2 and C8:1 in children with OSAS, proposing them as intriguing biomarkers and/or possible targets of nutritional intervention, warranting further investigation.
