Metabolomic biomarkers predictive of early structural lung disease in cystic fibrosis

Abstract

Neutrophilic airway inflammation plays a role in early structural lung disease in cystic fibrosis, but the mechanisms underlying this pathway are incompletely understood. Metabolites associated with neutrophilic inflammation were identified by discovery metabolomics on bronchoalveolar lavage fluid supernatant from 20 preschool children (2.9±1.3 years) with cystic fibrosis. Targeted mass-spectrometric detection of relevant metabolites was then applied to 34 children (3.5±1.5 years) enrolled in the Australian Respiratory Early Surveillance Team for Cystic Fibrosis (AREST CF) who underwent chest computed tomography and bronchoalveolar lavage from two separate lobes during 42 visits. Relationshi..