Urinary 3-hydroxyisovaleryl carnitine excretion, protein energy malnutrition and risk of all-cause mortality in kidney transplant recipients: Results from the TransplantLines cohort studies.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Leucine is an essential amino acid and a potent stimulator of muscle protein synthesis. Since muscle wasting is a major risk factor for mortality in kidney transplant recipients (KTR), dietary leucine intake might be linked to long-term mortality. Urinary 3-hydroxyisovaleryl carnitine (3-HIC) excretion, a functional marker of marginal biotin deficiency, may also serve as a marker for dietary leucine intake. OBJECTIVE: In this study we aimed to investigate the cross-sectional determinants of urinary 3-HIC excretion and to prospectively investigate the association of urinary 3-HIC excretion with all-cause mortality in KTR. DESIGN: Urinary 3-HIC excretion and plasma biotin were measured in a longitudinal cohort of 694 stable KTR. Cross-sectional and prospective analyses were performed using ordinary least squares linear regression analyses and Cox regression analyses, respectively. RESULTS: In KTR (57% male, 53 ± 13 years, estimated glomerular filtration rate 45 ± 19 mL/min/1.73 m2), urinary 3-HIC excretion (0.80 [0.57-1.16] µmol/24 h) was significantly associated with plasma biotin (std. ß = -0.17; P < 0.001). Subsequent adjustment for potential covariates revealed urinary creatinine excretion (std. ß = 0.24; P < 0.001) and urinary urea excretion (std. ß = 0.53; P < 0.001) as the primary determinant of urinary 3-HIC excretion. Whereas plasma biotin explained only 1% of the variance in urinary 3-HIC excretion, urinary urea excretion explained >45%. During median follow-up for 5.4 [4.8-6.1] years, 150 (22%) patients died. Log2-transformed urinary 3-HIC excretion was inversely associated with all-cause mortality (HR 0.52 [0.43-0.63]; P < 0.001). This association was independent of potential confounders. CONCLUSIONS: Urinary 3-HIC excretion more strongly serves as a marker of leucine intake than of biotin status. A higher urinary 3-HIC excretion is associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality. Future studies are warranted to explore the underlying mechanism. TRIAL REGISTRATION ID NCT02811835. TRIAL REGISTRATION URL https//clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02811835.