Abstract
Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children. The ability of healthcare providers to diagnose and prognose LRTIs in the pediatric population remains a challenge, as children can present with similar clinical features regardless of the underlying pathogen or ultimate severity. Metabolomics, the large-scale analysis of metabolites and metabolic pathways offers new tools and insights that may aid in diagnosing and predicting the outcomes of LRTIs in children. This review highlights the latest literature on the clinical utility of metabolomics in providing care for children with bronchiolitis, pneumonia, COVID-19, and sepsis.
Impact
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This article summarizes current metabolomics approaches to diagnosing and predicting the course of pediatric lower respiratory infections.
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This article highlights the limitations to current metabolomics research and highlights future directions for the field.
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Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analyzed for this review.
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Acknowledgements
The authors thank Nicole Dunnewold, MLIS and Diane Lorenzetti MLS, Ph.D. from the Health Sciences Library at the University of Calgary for their assistance with this review.
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E.W. drafted the manuscript, collected the data, performed data analysis and data interpretation, revised the manuscript, and approved the final version of the manuscript to be published. B.M. conceptualized and designed the study, performed data interpretation, revised and critically reviewed the manuscript for important intellectual content, and approved the final version of the manuscript to be published. H.J.V. participated in data interpretation, revised and critically reviewed the manuscript for important intellectual content, and approved the final version of the manuscript to be published. G.C.T. conceptualized and designed the study, supervised data collection and data interpretation, revised and critically reviewed the manuscript for important intellectual content, and approved the final version of the manuscript to be published. All authors approved the final manuscript as submitted and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.
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B.M. and H.J.V. hold patent US 8969017 “Metabolite biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis of pediatric septic shock.”
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Wildman, E., Mickiewicz, B., Vogel, H.J. et al. Metabolomics in pediatric lower respiratory tract infections and sepsis: a literature review. Pediatr Res 93, 492–502 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-022-02162-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-022-02162-0
