Serum metabolomic profiling reveals important difference between infants with and without subsequent recurrent wheezing in later childhood after RSV bronchiolitis

We aimed to use serum metabolomics to discriminate infants with severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis who later developed subsequent recurrent wheezing from those who did not and to investigate the relationship between serum metabolome and host immune responses with regard to the subsequent development of recurrent wheezing. Fifty-one infants who were hospitalized during an initial episode of severe RSV bronchiolitis at 6 months of age or less were included and followed for up to the age of 3 years. Of them, 24 developed subsequent recurrent wheezing and 27 did not. Untargeted serum metabolomics was performed by ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). Cytokines were measured by multiplex immunoassay. Difference in serum metabolomic profiles was observed between infants who developed recurrent wheezing and those who did not. L-lactic acid level was significantly higher in infants with recurrent wheezing than those without. Pyrimidine metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, and arginine biosynthesis were identified as the most significant changed pathways between the two groups. Moreover, L-lactic acid level was positively associated with serum CXCL8 level. This exploratory study showed that differential serum metabolic signatures during severe RSV bronchiolitis in early infancy were associated with the development of subsequent recurrent wheezing in later childhood.

Automated summary

This study used serum metabolomics to identify differential metabolic signatures during severe RSV bronchiolitis in infancy that were associated with the development of subsequent recurrent wheezing in childhood. High levels of L-lactic acid were found in infants who developed recurrent wheezing, and pathways related to pyrimidine metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, and arginine biosynthesis were identified as significantly changed between the two groups. Additionally, L-lactic acid levels were positively correlated with serum CXCL8 levels.