Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40715884›Full record

ArticleMetabolomics : Official journal of the Metabolomic Society2025

A diagnostic algorithm for inherited metabolic disorders using untargeted metabolomics.

Qian Gao, Adnan Khan, Mette Christensen, Xiaomin Zhou, Allan Lund, Sabine Weller Grønborg, Flemming Wibrand, Elsebet Østergaard, Thomas Moritz

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Metabolomics : Official journal of the Metabolomic Society, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

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0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Qian GaoNovo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. qian.gao@sund.ku.dk.
Adnan KhanNovo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Mette ChristensenDepartment of Clinical Genetics, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Xiaomin ZhouDepartment of Clinical Genetics, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Allan LundDepartment of Clinical Genetics, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Sabine Weller GrønborgDepartment of Clinical Genetics, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Flemming WibrandDepartment of Clinical Genetics, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Elsebet ØstergaardDepartment of Clinical Genetics, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Thomas MoritzNovo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. thomas.moritz@sund.ku.dk.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionUntargeted metabolomics is a powerful tool for detecting perturbations in biological systems, offering significant potential for screening for rare inherited metabolic disorders (IMDs). However, the rarity and vast diversity of these diseases, results in limited availability of samples and incomplete metabolic pathway knowledge for each condition. Current diagnostic procedures rely heavily on manual interpretation, which is time-consuming, and data driven approaches are insufficient for small sample sizes.

objectivesTo develop a diagnostic algorithm for IMDs addressing the challenges posed by small sample sizes and continuously evolving datasets.

methods77 IMD patients (35 different IMDs) and 136 control samples were collected from Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet. The metabolome was analyzed using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. An algorithm partially based on sparse hierarchical clustering was designed to generate IMD-specific metabolic signatures from metabolomics data, enabling comparison with undiagnosed patient samples to provide diagnostic predictions. An iterative improvement strategy was employed, where new data are continuously integrated to refine the IMD-specific signatures. The algorithm's performance was evaluated through both the current study and a case study using literature-derived data.

resultsThe algorithm demonstrated iterative improvement with each training round, correctly identifying the diagnosis within top 3 potential IMDs in 60% of samples (top 1 in 42%). The case study applied the method to literature-based data comprising 95 IMD samples (11 different IMDs) and 68 controls, yielding a correct diagnosis in 73.5% of cases.

conclusionThese results demonstrate that the algorithm provides a flexible, data-driven framework for continuous improvement in IMD diagnosis, even with limited number of samples.

Indexed as

AlgorithmsMetabolic DiseasesMetabolism, Inborn ErrorsMetabolomicsChromatography, LiquidFemaleHumansMaleMass SpectrometryMetabolomeDiagnosisIMD signatureInherited metabolic disordersMetabolomicsUnsupervised

Identifiers

PMID40715884
PMCPMC12301266

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.