Metabolomic study of candidemia

Background:

Candidemia has emerged as an important nosocomial infection with mortality of 29~47%. No study assesses the differences in metabolic profiles between survivors and non-survivors with candidemia. The present study aimed to identify important metabolites to discriminate the two groups to optimize treatment. 

Methods:

From 2011/7/18 to 2014/12/11, a total of 30 patients with candidemia caused by C. albicans who had blood samples collected within 4 days after the date of first positive blood culture for C. albicans (candidemia onset) were included for analysis. Mortality on Day 14 after candidemia onset was assessed, and metabolites from the blood samples of survivors and non-survivors were analyzed and compared by an Agilent 1290 UHPLC system coupled to a 6540-QTOF (Agilent Technologies, Santa Clara, CA, USA).

Results:

The enrolled patients had a median age of 62, a median APACH II score of 17, and a median Charlson index of 3. The mortality on Day 14 was 27%. Figure 1 shows the scatter plot of PLS-DA using 34 metabolites to discriminate 22 survivors from 8 non-survivors. 

Conclusion:

Differences in metabolic profiling existed between non-survivors and survivors with candidemia.

Figure 1: Scatter plot of PLS-DA to dis discriminate 22 survivors from 8 non-survivors.