Review Article

Using Metabolomic Profiles as Biomarkers for Insulin Resistance in Childhood Obesity: A Systematic Review

Table 1

Characteristics of study population, HOMA-IR, and identified metabolomic profiles in 10 included studies.

StudyYearNumMaleTypeMean ageBMI scoreHOMA-IRPlasma metabolomic profiles identified

Hellmuth et al. [20]20168045%C11.5 ± 2.4Obese:
2.40 ± 0.45
Obese:
4.29 ± 3.10
Total aromatic amino acids, C0, C3, C6:1-DC, C6-oxo, C4/C5-oxo, C5/C6-oxo, C6:1-DC/C5:1, C6-oxo/xLeu, valine, tyrosine, proline, serine, phenylalanine, glycine, histidine, and methionine

Butte et al. [21]201580350%O11.1 ± 3.9Obese:
2.31 ± 0.38;
nonobese:
0.64 ± 0.76
Obese:
7.46 ± 5.47;
nonobese:
3.01 ± 2.49
Leucine, isoleucine, valine, glutamate, alanine, aspartate, glycine, serine, threonine, histidine, PUFA, peptide, tyrosine, methionine, bradykinin, lysine, phenylalanine, pyroglutamine, polyamine, urea cycle, polypeptide, short-chain acylcarnitines, long-chain acylcarnitine, ketone bodies, dicarboxylated fatty acids, lysolipid, medium-chain fatty acid, monoacylglycerol, phospholipid, androsterone sulfate, epiandrosterone sulfate, steroid derivatives, mannose, pyruvate, glycerate, pantothenate and CoA, citrate, purine, xanthine, pyrimidine, 2-methylbutyrylcarnitine, 3-methyl-2-oxobutyrate, and isovalerylcarnitine

Lee et al. [22]2015109100%C10.4 ± 0.6Obese:
1.49 ± 0.39;
nonobese:
−0.01 ± 0.15
Obese
2.30 ± 2.30;
nonobese:
1.20 ± 0.60
Leucine, isoleucine, valine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, glutamine, alanine, glycine, serine, asparagine, lysine, glutamate, proline, citrulline, alpha-aminoadipic acid, C0, C3, C5, C7-DC, C16, and C18

Perng et al. [23]201426250%O8.0 ± 0.9Obese:
2.07 ± 0.29;
nonobese:
−0.04 ± 0.72
Obese:
3.49 ± 1.80;
nonobese:
1.65 ± 0.65
Leucine, isoleucine, valine, phenylalanine, C3, C5, tryptophan, 3-methyl-2-oxovalerate, kynurenine, tyrosine, -glutamylleucine, 4-methyl-2-oxopentanoate, isovalerylcarnitine, isobutyrylcarnitine, DHEA-S, 4-androsten-3beta, 17beta-diol disulfate, epiandrosterone sulfate, androsterone sulfate, pregn steroid monosulfate, pregnen-diol disulfate, pregnenolone sulfate, and andro steroid monosulfate

Newbern et al. [24]20148250%O13.8 ± 0.2Obese male:
2.37 ± 0.06;
obese female
2.24 ± 0.05
Obese male:
4.08 ± 0.48;
obese female:
3.56 ± 0.27
Valine, leucine/isoleucine, glutamate/glutamine, C2, C3, C5, total BCAA, -hydroxybutyrate, C2 to (C3 + C5) ratio, uric acid, histidine, C5-OH/C3-DC, C8:1, C4-DC/Ci4-DC, C10:2, C16, glycine, serine, tyrosine, phenylalanine, methionine, proline, alanine, ornament, arginine, C18:1, C18, and C18:1-OH/C16:1-DC

Farook et al. [25] 20154245%O11.5 ± 3.1BMI,
obese:
27.5 ± 4.1;
overweight:
23.0 ± 3.8;
nonobese:
18.1 ± 2.8
Obese:
2.1 ± 0.5;
overweight:
1.8 ± 0.4;
nonobese:
1.5 ± 0.6
L-Thyronine, bradykinin, indole-3-propionic acid, naringenin, 2-methylbutyroylcarnitine, 3-hydroxyquinine, LysoPC (18:1), vitamin D3, calicoferol B, diglyceride, malvidin 3-(6-acetyl glucoside), linoleic acid, phosphatidylethanolamine, and phosphocholine (16:1)

Mccormack et al. [26]20136958%C13.3 ± 2.91.04 ± 1.23
Cohort:
2.88 ± 2.17
1.84 ± 2.04
Cohort:
1.50 ± 0.87
Valine, leucine, isoleucine, citrulline, glutamate, 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid, and phenylalanine

Michaliszyn et al. [27]201213947%O13.4 ± 0.2BMI,
obese:
32.50 ± 0.90;
nonobese:
18.90 ± 0.30
Obese:
8.01 ± 1.90;
nonobese:
4.58 ± 1.50
Valine, leucine/isoleucine, methionine, phenylalanine, glycine, serine, histidine, arginine, C2, C3, C5, C4, tyrosine, alanine, and citrulline

Mihalik et al. [28]201210352%O13.3 ± 0.2BMI, obese:
34.60 ± 0.70;
nonobese:
19.00 ± 0.30
Obese:
8.10 ± 3.20;
nonobese:
4.00 ± 2.10
Leucine/isoleucine, valine, phenylalanine, methionine, glycine, serine, histidine, arginine, alanine, citrulline, C2, C3, C4, C4-OH, C5, C5:1, C5-OH, C6, C6-OH, C8, C8:1, C10, C10:1, C10:2, C12, C12-OH, C12:1, C14, C14:1, C14:2, C16, C16:1, C16-OH, C18, C18:1, C18:1-OH-CN, C18:2, and free CN

Elshorbagy et al. [29]201298450%O11.0 ± 2.2BMI, obese:
27.3 ± 3.73;
nonobese:
17.51 ± 1.47
Obese:
4.84 ± 2.26;
nonobese:
2.16 ± 0.78
Total homocysteine, total cysteine, total glutathione, nonesterified fatty acids, and methionine

Note: num: number; O: observational study; C: cohort study; BMI: body mass index score; HOMA-IR: homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance; C0: C0 acylcarnitine; C2: C2 acylcarnitine; C3: C3 acylcarnitine; C4: C4 acylcarnitine; C5: C5 acylcarnitine; C7: C7 acylcarnitine; C16: C16 acylcarnitine; C18: C18 acylcarnitine; PUFA: polyunsaturated fatty acids.