Characteristics of Normalization Methods in Quantitative Urinary Metabolomics—Implications for Epidemiological Applications and Interpretations

Bibliographic Details
Title: Characteristics of Normalization Methods in Quantitative Urinary Metabolomics—Implications for Epidemiological Applications and Interpretations
Authors: Tianqi Li, Tuulia Tynkkynen, Andrei Ihanus, Siyu Zhao, Ville-Petteri Mäkinen, Mika Ala-Korpela
Source: Biomolecules, Vol 12, Iss 7, p 903 (2022)
Publisher Information: MDPI AG, 2022.
Publication Year: 2022
Collection: LCC:Microbiology
Subject Terms: biomarkers, disease risk, epidemiology, kidney function, metabolomics, NMR, Microbiology, QR1-502
More Details: A systematic comparison is presented for the effects of seven different normalization schemes in quantitative urinary metabolomics. Morning spot urine samples were analyzed with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy from a population-based group of 994 individuals. Forty-four metabolites were quantified and the metabolite–metabolite associations and the associations of metabolite concentrations with two representative clinical measures, body mass index and mean arterial pressure, were analyzed. Distinct differences were observed when comparing the effects of normalization for the intra-urine metabolite associations with those for the clinical associations. The metabolite–metabolite associations show quite complex patterns of similarities and dissimilarities between the different normalization methods, while the epidemiological association patterns are consistent, leading to the same overall biological interpretations. The results indicate that, in general, the normalization method appears to have only minor influences on standard epidemiological regression analyses with clinical/physiological measures. Multimetabolite normalization schemes showed consistent results with the customary creatinine reference. Nevertheless, interpretations of intra-urine metabolite associations and nuanced understanding of the epidemiological associations call for comparisons with different normalizations and accounting for the physiology, metabolism and kidney function related to the normalization schemes.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 2218-273X
Relation: https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/12/7/903; https://doaj.org/toc/2218-273X
DOI: 10.3390/biom12070903
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/254262474e8148deb3b946c431d26932
Accession Number: edsdoj.254262474e8148deb3b946c431d26932
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
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More Details
ISSN:2218273X
DOI:10.3390/biom12070903
Published in:Biomolecules
Language:English