Association of gut-related metabolites with outcome in acute heart failure

Background

Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), a gut-related metabolite, is associated with heart failure (HF) outcomes. However, TMAO is the final product of a complex metabolic pathway (i.e. choline/carnitine) that has never been entirely investigated in HF. The present study investigates a panel of metabolites involved in the TMAO-choline/carnitine metabolic pathway for their associations with outcome in acute HF patients.

Methods

In total, 806 plasma samples from acute HF patients were analysed for TMAO, trimethyllysine, L-carnitine, acetyl-L-carnitine, γ-butyrobetaine, crotonobetaine, trimethylamine, betaine aldehyde, choline, and betaine using a developed liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method. Associations with outcome of all-cause mortality (death) and a composite of all-cause mortality and/or rehospitalization due to HF (death/HF) at 30 days and 1 year were investigated.

Results

TMAO, trimethyllysine, L-carnitine, acetyl-L-carnitine, and γ-butyrobetaine were associated with death and death/HF at 30 days (short-term) (HR 1.30-1.49, p≤0.021) and at 1 year (long-term) (HR 1.15-1.25, p≤0.026) when adjusted for cardiac risk factors. L-carnitine and acetyl-L-carnitine were superior for short-term outcomes whereas TMAO was the superior metabolite for association with long-term outcomes. Furthermore, acetyl-L-carnitine and L-carnitine were superior for in-hospital mortality and improved risk stratification when combined with current clinical risk scores (i.e. ADHERE, OPTIMIZE-HF, GWTG-HF) (OR≥1.52, p≤0.020).

Conclusions

Carnitine-related metabolites show associations with adverse outcomes in acute HF, in particular L-carnitine and acetyl-L-carnitine for short-term outcomes, and TMAO for long-term outcomes. Further studies are warranted to investigate the role and implications of carnitine metabolites including intervention in the pathogenesis of HF.