Table 2.
Plasma levels of the most important metabolites and metabolite ratios altered in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer (AD) patients
| Metabolites and metabolite ratios | Plasma levels |
P values |
ROC (AUC) |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CO | MCI | AD | CO versus MCI | CO versus AD | MCI versus AD | MCI | AD | |
| Metabolites | ||||||||
| lysoPC a C18:1 | 23 ± 6 | 27 ± 8 | 28 ± 8 | NS | .002 | NS | — | 0.71 |
| lysoPC a C18:2 | 28 ± 9 | 38 ± 15 | 34 ± 10 | .0005 | NS | NS | 0.78 | — |
| PC aa C34:4 | 2.5 ± 0.6 | 2 ± 0.4 | 1.9 ± 0.6 | .0005 | .00005∗ | NS | 0.73 | 0.76 |
| PC aa C36:6 | 1.3 ± 0.4 | 1 ± 0.3 | 1 ± 0.4 | .0007 | .0008 | NS | 0.7 | 0.71 |
| PC aa C38:3 | 56 ± 13 | 44 ± 10 | 51 ± 11 | .00005∗ | NS | NS | 0.78 | — |
| PC aa C40:5 | 13 ± 3 | 10 ± 2 | 11 ± 2 | .00002∗ | .003 | NS | 0.77 | 0.67 |
| PC aa C40:6 | 33 ± 12 | 25 ± 6 | 28 ± 10 | .002 | NS | NS | 0.7 | — |
| Metabolite ratios | ||||||||
| PC aa C34:4/lysoPC a C18:1 | 0.11 ± 0.04 | 0.08 ± 0.03 | 0.07 ± 0.03 | .00003 | .0000002 | NS | 0.8 | 0.83 |
| PC aa C34:4/lysoPC a C18:2 | 0.10 ± 0.04 | 0.06 ± 0.02 | 0.06 ± 0.02 | .0000007 | .0000009 | NS | 0.85 | 0.82 |
| PC aa C36:5/lysoPC a C18:2 | 1.4 ± 0.8 | 0.9 ± 0.5 | 0.9 ± 0.4 | .0005† | .0002† | NS | 0.73 | 0.74 |
| PC aa C36:6/lysoPC a C18:1 | 0.06 ± 0.03 | 0.04 ± 0.02 | 0.04 ± 0.01 | .00004 | .000001 | NS | 0.75 | 0.8 |
| PC aa C36:6/lysoPC a C18:2 | 0.05 ± 0.02 | 0.03 ± 0.02 | 0.03 ± 0.01 | .000001 | .000003 | NS | 0.83 | 0.79 |
Abbreviations: CO, control; MCI, mild cognitive impairment; AD, Alzheimer's disease; ROC, receiver operating characteristic; AUC, area under the ROC curve; SD, standard deviation; NS, not significant; ANOVA, analysis of variance; LSD, least-significant difference.
NOTE. Values are given as mean ± SD (in μM for metabolites). The number of patients was 35 (controls), 33 (MCI), and 43 (AD). Samples were statistically analyzed using ANOVA and Fisher's LSD post hoc test as well as the ROC curve. The P values and area under the ROC curve (AUC) are given. For all other parameters, significance was retained after adjustment for multiple testing using the Bonferroni method.
For these markers, significance was retained after adjustment for multiple testing by means of the Bonferroni method: P < .05/183 = .0002732. For all other parameters, significance was not retained after adjustment for multiple testing using the Bonferroni method.
For these markers, significance was “not” retained after adjustment for multiple testing by means of the Bonferroni method, i.e., P > .0002732.