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Bile acid quantification of 20 plasma metabolites identifies lithocholic acid as a putative biomarker in Alzheimer's disease
Marksteiner J, Blasko I, Kemmler G, Koal T, Humpel C.. Metabolomics : Official journal of the Metabolomic Society, 2017-11-17
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Introduction There is still a clear need for a widely available, inexpensive and reliable method to diagnose Alzheimer's disease (AD) and monitor disease progression. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) is a powerful analytic technique with a very high sensitivity and specificity. Objectives The aim of the present study is to measure concentrations of 20 bile acids using the novel Kit from Biocrates Life Sciences based on LC-MS technique. Methods Twenty bile acid metabolites were quantitatively measured in plasma of 30 cognitively healthy subjects, 20 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and 30 patients suffering from AD. Results Levels of lithocholic acid were significantly enhanced in plasma of AD patients (50 ± 6 nM, p = 0.004) compared to healthy controls (32 ± 3 nM). Lithocholic acid plasma levels of MCI patients (41 ± 4 nM) were not significantly different from healthy subjects or AD patients. Levels of glycochenodeoxycholic acid, glycodeoxycholic acid and glycolithocholic acid were significantly higher in AD patients compared to MCI patients (p Conclusion In conclusion, 4 bile acids may be useful to diagnose AD in plasma samples despite limitations in diagnostic accuracy.
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APA 7th
Marksteiner, J., Blasko, I., Kemmler, G., Koal, T., & Humpel, C. (2018). Bile acid quantification of 20 plasma metabolites identifies lithocholic acid as a putative biomarker in Alzheimer's disease. Metabolomics : Official journal of the Metabolomic Society. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11306-017-1297-5
Vancouver
Marksteiner J, Blasko I, Kemmler G, Koal T, Humpel C. Bile acid quantification of 20 plasma metabolites identifies lithocholic acid as a putative biomarker in Alzheimer's disease. Metabolomics : Official journal of the Metabolomic Society. 2018. doi:10.1007/s11306-017-1297-5. PMID: 29249916.
BibTeX
@article{marksteiner2018-29249916,
author = {Marksteiner, J. and Blasko, I. and Kemmler, G. and Koal, T. and Humpel, C.},
title = {{Bile acid quantification of 20 plasma metabolites identifies lithocholic acid as a putative biomarker in Alzheimer's disease}},
journal = {Metabolomics : Official journal of the Metabolomic Society},
year = {2018},
doi = {10.1007/s11306-017-1297-5},
pmid = {29249916},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s11306-017-1297-5}
}
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Key findings
- Results Levels of lithocholic acid were significantly enhanced in plasma of AD patients (50 ± 6 nM, p = 0.004) compared to healthy controls (32 ± 3 nM).
- Lithocholic acid plasma levels of MCI patients (41 ± 4 nM) were not significantly different from healthy subjects or AD patients.
- Levels of glycochenodeoxycholic acid, glycodeoxycholic acid and glycolithocholic acid were significantly higher in AD patients compared to MCI patients (p Conclusion In conclusion, 4 bile acids may be useful to diagnose AD in plasma samples despite limitations in diagnostic accuracy.
Why it matters
This study measured 20 bile acids in plasma and found lithocholic acid was significantly higher in Alzheimer's patients than in healthy controls, while levels in mild cognitive impairment were not significantly different from either group. The authors conclude four bile acids may be useful for diagnosing Alzheimer's from plasma despite limitations in diagnostic accuracy, but this is not a treatment.
Study details
- Participants20
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 50/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Metabolomics : Official journal of the Metabolomic Society) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Metabolomics: journal h-index 122 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2018 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 20 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 160 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 16.0 citations a year over 10 year(s) since 2018 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 7.8× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 5 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 53 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Christian Humpel: h-index 51 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Universität Innsbruck: institution h-index 803 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 29249916) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 50 / 100 | — |
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