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. 2019 May 10;10(5):876–887. doi: 10.1093/advances/nmz012

TABLE 3.

Characteristics and outcomes from studies that reported the effect of pharmacological agents on TMAO concentrations1

Reference and country Participant characteristics Study design Intervention compared with control Duration and follow-up Baseline TMAO concentration (μM)2 Outcome3 Dietary intake4
Huo et al. (34) China = 15:205 Female: 53% Age: 57.2 ± 10.76 y BMI: 28.8 ± 2.39 Subjects with DM Open-label, nonrandomized metabonomic study Metformin Compared with no treatment 3 mo Serum NR ↑** Uncontrolled7
Cadeddu et al. (31) Italy = 20 Female: 45% Age: 47 ± 13 y BMI: 30.8 ± 5.2 Subjects with DM Open-label, nonrandomized, non-placebo-controlled study Metformin (850 mg bid) 3 mo Serum NR ↑** Uncontrolled
Dambrova et al. (32) Latvia = 8 Female: 50% Healthy subjects Open-label, nonrandomized interventional study Meldonium (500 mg bid) + TMA-rich diet (seafood) 3 wk Plasma 4.9 ± 1.3 ↓** Controlled
Tang et al. (3) United States = 40 Healthy subjects Prospective, nonrandomized clinical trial Metronidazole (500 mg bid) plus ciprofloxacin (500 mg OD) + phosphatidylcholine diet 4 wk Plasma 4.2 ± 2.0 ↓↓*** Controlled
Lever et al. (35) United Kingdom = 26 Female: 42% Age: 50 ± 15 y Healthy subjects Open-label, nonrandomized, non-placebo-controlled interventional study Fenofibrate tablet (145 mg OD) 6 wk Urine8 38.9 (21.4–49.0) NC* Uncontrolled
Velebova et al. (39) Prague, Czech Republic = 40 Subjects with DM Randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study Metformin (2 g OD) Compared with placebo (not specified) 6 mo Serum 1.03 ± 1.29 NC* Uncontrolled
Hazen (33) United States = 7: 95 Nonrandomized, non-placebo-controlled, crossover study Aspirin (81 mg OD) + choline diet Compared with choline diet only 12 mo Plasma I: 2.6 ± 0.3 C: 2.8 ± 0.4 ↓↓*** Controlled
1

n = 7. bid, twice daily; C, control; DM, diabetes mellitus; HD, hemodialysis; I, intervention; NC, no change; NR, not reported; OD, once daily; tab, tablet; TMA, trimethylamine; TMAO, trimethylamine N-oxide.

2

Baseline TMAO concentration in micromolar (μM) = μmol/L unless otherwise indicated.

3

Outcome denotes effect of intervention on TMAO levels (increase or decrease).

4

Dietary intake of trimethylamine dietary precursors including seafood, fish, choline, l-carnitine, and betaine.

5

n = intervention: control groups.

6

Values are means ± SDs unless otherwise indicated.

7

“Controlled” indicates dietary intake of TMAO precursors was controlled; “uncontrolled” indicates dietary intake of TMAO precursors was not controlled.

8

Median (interquartile range) urine excretions (mmol/mol creatinine).

*

P > 0.05.

**

P < 0.05.

***

P < 0.001.