Microbiota γ‐Butyrobetaine Is Associated With Increased Risk of Major Adverse Limb Events in People With Lower Extremity Arterial Disease Undergoing Endovascular Therapy

Background Peripheral artery disease (PAD), a significant contributor to both acute and chronic illnesses, indicates a grave prognosis, but it is often unrecognized and receives inadequate treatment. γ‐Butyrobetaine, formed during gut microbial metabolism of L‐carnitine, acts as a proatherogenic int...

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Main Authors: Zheng‐Wei Chen, Wei‐Kai Wu, Jiun‐Yang Chiang, Nai‐Chen Cheng, Jen‐Kuang Lee, Ming‐Shiang Wu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-08-01
Series:Journal of the American Heart Association: Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease
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Online Access:https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.124.037356
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author Zheng‐Wei Chen
Wei‐Kai Wu
Jiun‐Yang Chiang
Nai‐Chen Cheng
Jen‐Kuang Lee
Ming‐Shiang Wu
author_facet Zheng‐Wei Chen
Wei‐Kai Wu
Jiun‐Yang Chiang
Nai‐Chen Cheng
Jen‐Kuang Lee
Ming‐Shiang Wu
author_sort Zheng‐Wei Chen
collection DOAJ
description Background Peripheral artery disease (PAD), a significant contributor to both acute and chronic illnesses, indicates a grave prognosis, but it is often unrecognized and receives inadequate treatment. γ‐Butyrobetaine, formed during gut microbial metabolism of L‐carnitine, acts as a proatherogenic intermediate in the production of trimethylamine N‐oxide (TMAO). While TMAO has been linked to a heightened risk of cardiovascular mortality of individuals with PAD, the impact of γ‐butyrobetaine remains unclear. The objective of this study was to examine the prognostic value of serum γ‐butyrobetaine for patients with PAD. Methods We prospectively enrolled 395 patients with symptomatic PAD. Comprehensive medical histories, encompassing demographic and medication data, were collected, and serum biochemistry data, including TMAO and γ‐butyrobetaine, were obtained. These patients, with a mean age of 72.2 years (61% men), were followed for an average of 1.5 years. They were categorized into 2 groups: 165 patients with intermittent claudication and 230 patients with critical limb‐threatening ischemia. The primary outcome studied was major adverse limb events (MALE), which included lower‐limb revascularization and amputation. MALE developed in 89 (22.5%) patients. Following adjustment for confounding factors in the multivariate Cox proportional hazards model, γ‐butyrobetaine was significantly associated with MALE (hazard ratio, 1.93 [95% CI, 1.35–2.76]). By contrast, TMAO did not show a significant association with the risk of MALE. Conclusions While both TMAO and γ‐butyrobetaine were linked to increased major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with PAD, only γ‐butyrobetaine was associated with an elevated risk of MALE.
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institution Kabale University
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series Journal of the American Heart Association: Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease
spelling doaj-art-5510f5e899004532a68f63c2ac29eead2025-08-20T07:25:00ZengWileyJournal of the American Heart Association: Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease2047-99802025-08-01141610.1161/JAHA.124.037356Microbiota γ‐Butyrobetaine Is Associated With Increased Risk of Major Adverse Limb Events in People With Lower Extremity Arterial Disease Undergoing Endovascular TherapyZheng‐Wei Chen0Wei‐Kai Wu1Jiun‐Yang Chiang2Nai‐Chen Cheng3Jen‐Kuang Lee4Ming‐Shiang Wu5Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine National Taiwan University College of Medicine and Hospital Taipei TaiwanDepartment of Medical Research National Taiwan University Hospital Taipei TaiwanDivision of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine National Taiwan University College of Medicine and Hospital Taipei TaiwanDivision of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery National Taiwan University College of Medicine and Hospital Taipei TaiwanDivision of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine National Taiwan University College of Medicine and Hospital Taipei TaiwanDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine National Taiwan University College of Medicine and Hospital Taipei TaiwanBackground Peripheral artery disease (PAD), a significant contributor to both acute and chronic illnesses, indicates a grave prognosis, but it is often unrecognized and receives inadequate treatment. γ‐Butyrobetaine, formed during gut microbial metabolism of L‐carnitine, acts as a proatherogenic intermediate in the production of trimethylamine N‐oxide (TMAO). While TMAO has been linked to a heightened risk of cardiovascular mortality of individuals with PAD, the impact of γ‐butyrobetaine remains unclear. The objective of this study was to examine the prognostic value of serum γ‐butyrobetaine for patients with PAD. Methods We prospectively enrolled 395 patients with symptomatic PAD. Comprehensive medical histories, encompassing demographic and medication data, were collected, and serum biochemistry data, including TMAO and γ‐butyrobetaine, were obtained. These patients, with a mean age of 72.2 years (61% men), were followed for an average of 1.5 years. They were categorized into 2 groups: 165 patients with intermittent claudication and 230 patients with critical limb‐threatening ischemia. The primary outcome studied was major adverse limb events (MALE), which included lower‐limb revascularization and amputation. MALE developed in 89 (22.5%) patients. Following adjustment for confounding factors in the multivariate Cox proportional hazards model, γ‐butyrobetaine was significantly associated with MALE (hazard ratio, 1.93 [95% CI, 1.35–2.76]). By contrast, TMAO did not show a significant association with the risk of MALE. Conclusions While both TMAO and γ‐butyrobetaine were linked to increased major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with PAD, only γ‐butyrobetaine was associated with an elevated risk of MALE.https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.124.037356major adverse cardiovascular eventsmajor adverse limb eventsperipheral artery diseasetrimethylamine N‐oxideγ‐Butyrobetaine
spellingShingle Zheng‐Wei Chen
Wei‐Kai Wu
Jiun‐Yang Chiang
Nai‐Chen Cheng
Jen‐Kuang Lee
Ming‐Shiang Wu
Microbiota γ‐Butyrobetaine Is Associated With Increased Risk of Major Adverse Limb Events in People With Lower Extremity Arterial Disease Undergoing Endovascular Therapy
Journal of the American Heart Association: Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease
major adverse cardiovascular events
major adverse limb events
peripheral artery disease
trimethylamine N‐oxide
γ‐Butyrobetaine
title Microbiota γ‐Butyrobetaine Is Associated With Increased Risk of Major Adverse Limb Events in People With Lower Extremity Arterial Disease Undergoing Endovascular Therapy
title_full Microbiota γ‐Butyrobetaine Is Associated With Increased Risk of Major Adverse Limb Events in People With Lower Extremity Arterial Disease Undergoing Endovascular Therapy
title_fullStr Microbiota γ‐Butyrobetaine Is Associated With Increased Risk of Major Adverse Limb Events in People With Lower Extremity Arterial Disease Undergoing Endovascular Therapy
title_full_unstemmed Microbiota γ‐Butyrobetaine Is Associated With Increased Risk of Major Adverse Limb Events in People With Lower Extremity Arterial Disease Undergoing Endovascular Therapy
title_short Microbiota γ‐Butyrobetaine Is Associated With Increased Risk of Major Adverse Limb Events in People With Lower Extremity Arterial Disease Undergoing Endovascular Therapy
title_sort microbiota γ butyrobetaine is associated with increased risk of major adverse limb events in people with lower extremity arterial disease undergoing endovascular therapy
topic major adverse cardiovascular events
major adverse limb events
peripheral artery disease
trimethylamine N‐oxide
γ‐Butyrobetaine
url https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.124.037356
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