Investigation of plasma metabolomic biomarkers of childhood Multiple Sclerosis

In this thesis we evaluated the demographic, clinical and laboratory characteristics of 34 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The aim of this study was to measure the metabolomic products that may be related to the clinical features and prognosis of childhood MS and to investigate the value of these as biomarkers. 27/34 (79.4%) of the patients were female, 7/34 (20.6%) were male, the female / male ratio was 3.86 and the mean age was 16 ± 3 years (9-22 years). The mean age at the time of the first attack was 12.5 ± 2.8 years (4-17.5 years) and 12/34 (35.3%) of patients were under 12 years of age and 20/34 (58.8%) were over 12 years of age. 12 patients (35.3%) had numbness, 11 (32.4%) had visual problems, 3 (8.8%) headaches, 2 (5.9%) were unable to walk and 1 (2.9%) presented with speech disorder, 1 (2.9%) with vomiting, and 1 (2.9%) with other complaints at the time of first attack. Of the control group, 28/36 (77.8%) were female, 8/36 (22.2%) were male, female / male ratio was 3.5 and the mean age was 16 ± 3 years (9-22 years). Plasma samples were taken from the patient and control groups and the metabolites differing between the two groups were investigated by mass spectroscopy method. 339 metabolic products which play role in general metabolic pathways, steroid hormone and aminoacid biosynthesis, carbon, lipid, glucocorticoid, mineralocorticoid, purine-pyrimidine metabolism showed statistically significant differences in the patient group. Amino acids such as arginine, phenylalanine; molecules such as androstenedione, testosterone, cortisol, cholesterol, desmosterol, calcitriol are some of these metabolic products. With the results of this study, it is possible to mention only the differentiation of these metabolomics in quantity. As a result of further analysis, it will be possible to quantify the differentiation or relate it to disease pathogenesis, treatment options and prognosis.