Pre-and Post-Portosystemic Shunt Placement Metabolomics Reveal Molecular Signatures for the Development of Hepatic Encephalopathy
Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a common complication of advanced liver disease causing brain dysfunction. This is likely due to the accumulation of unfiltered toxins within the bloodstream. A known risk factor for developing or worsening HE is the placement of a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS), which connects the pre-hepatic and post-hepatic circulation, allowing some blood to bypass the dysfunctional liver and decreases portal hypertension.
To understand the pathophysiology of post-TIPS better HE, we conducted a multi-center prospective cohort study employing metabolomic analyses on hepatic vein and peripheral vein blood samples from participants with cirrhosis undergoing elective TIPS placement, measuring chemical modifications and changes in concentrations of metabolites resulting from TIPS placement. In doing so, we identified numerous alterations in metabolites, including bile acids, glycerophosphocholines, and bilirubins possibly implicated in the development and severity of HE.
| Authors | Ana Carolina Dantas Machado, Stephany Flores Ramos, Julia M Gauglitz, Anne-Marie Carpenter, Daniel Petras, Alexander Aksenov, Un Bi Kim, Michael Lazarowicz, Abbey Barnard Giustini, Hamed Aryafar, Irine Vodkin, Curtis Warren, Pieter C Dorrestein, Ali Zarrinpar, Amir Zarrinpar |
| Publication date | 2023 |
| Journal | medRxiv |
| Pages | 2023.01. 02.22281374 |
| Publisher | Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press |
Read the full article at: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/medrxiv/early/2023/01/04/2023.01.02.22281374.full.pdf