Table 3.
Principal components analysis of plasma metabolites and change in eGFR in the Nutrition and Health of Aging Population in China study
| Factor | Description | Components | Eigenvalue | Change in eGFR (ml/min per 1.73 m2 per year) | Incident Reduced eGFR | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| β (95% Confidence Interval) | P Value | Relative Risk (95% Confidence Interval) | P Value | ||||
| 1 | Long-chain acylcarnitines | C18:2, C18, C14OH, C20:4, C20, C18:1, C16:2, C14:1OH, C16:1, C18OH | 11.39 | −0.13 (−0.21 to −0.05) | 0.002 | 1.14 (1.03 to 1.27) | 0.01 |
| 2 | Medium-chain acylcarnitines | C12, C12:1, C14, C12OH, C8, C10, C16, C6, C3DC, C2, C6OH, C10DC | 8.11 | −0.09 (−0.17 to −0.01) | 0.02 | 1.09 (0.98 to 1.21) | 0.12 |
| 3 | Branched-chain and aromatic amino acids | Leucine, valine, isoleucine, alanine, tyrosine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, glutamic acid, proline, methionine, lysine | 5.95 | −0.10 (−0.20 to 0.00) | 0.05 | 1.13 (0.99 to 1.28) | 0.06 |
| 4 | Short-chain acylcarnitines | C0, C3, C4, C5, C5OH | 3.02 | −0.05 (−0.14 to 0.03) | 0.22 | 1.00 (0.89 to 1.12) | 0.97 |
| 5 | Miscellaneous | Serine, glutamine, glycine, ornithine, histidine | 2.02 | −0.11 (−0.20 to −0.02) | 0.01 | 1.03 (0.91 to 1.16) | 0.67 |
| 6 | Miscellaneous | Cysteine, threonine | 1.94 | −0.23 (−0.31 to −0.15) | <0.001 | 1.32 (1.18 to 1.47) | <0.001 |
Six factors were retained according to the scree plot and varimax rotation performed to produce interpretable factors. Metabolites with a factor load ≥0.5 were reported as composing a factor. Data are annual change in eGFR or relative risk per SD increase in factor scores, after adjustment for age, sex, region (Beijing/Shanghai), residence (urban/rural), education, current smoking, current drinking, physical activity, body mass index, lipid-lowering medication use, HDL, LDL, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and eGFR at baseline.