Lupus & antiphospholipid syndrome
Metabolomics in systemic lupus erythematosus: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors' conclusion
Metabolomic profiling identifies a reproducible SLE signature: relative to controls, branched-chain (isoleucine, leucine) and aromatic (tryptophan) amino acids are lower, methionine is higher, and lipid profiles show higher oleic and lower capric acids, patterns consistent with impaired mitochondrial energetics and altered one-carbon flux.
Study context
- Population
- Human observational studies comparing metabolomic profiles of adult systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with healthy controls; PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and Cochrane Library searched through November 2024
- Participants
- 3,999 participants46 studies
- Comparison
- Metabolomic profiles of adult SLE patients vs healthy controls
- SLEn = 2,238
- Healthy controlsn = 1,761reference
- Outcome
- Common metabolite changes related to SLE
Methodological detailsrandom-effects, ratio of means (RoM), heterogeneity by I² statistic
- Random-effects
- Ratio of means (RoM)
- Heterogeneity by I² statistic
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
Metabolite levels, SLE vs healthy controls (random-effects RoM)
- I² = 0 %; significantly lower in SLE
- RoM (isoleucine) 0.73 (95 % CI 0.72–0.74)
- I² = 0 %; significantly lower in SLE
- RoM (leucine) 0.81 (95 % CI 0.80–0.81)
- I² = 75 %; significantly lower in SLE
- RoM (tryptophan) 0.73 (95 % CI 0.64–0.84)
- I² = 88 %; significantly higher in SLE
- RoM (methionine) 1.54 (95 % CI 1.26–1.88)
- Lipid remodeling: elevated oleic acid, RoM
- 1.42 (95 % CI 1.19-1.69, I² = 0 %)
- Lipid remodeling: reduced capric acid, RoM
- 0.80 (95 % CI 0.67-0.95, I² = 31 %)
Further pooled results
Qualitative synthesis
- Consistent reduction of tricarboxylic acid intermediates, accumulation of acylcarnitines, and an oxidized-lipid signature (e.g., 9-hydroxyoctadecadienoic acid, leukotriene B4)
Original publication
Metabolomics in systemic lupus erythematosus: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Semin Arthritis Rheum. Published 15 December 2025. doi:10.
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