Table 1 Baseline characteristics and nutritional status of septic patients according to plasma TMAO concentration
|  | Low TMAO (< 0.4 μmol/L) N = 32 | Median TMAO (0.4–2.5 μmol/L) N = 32 | High TMAO (≥ 2.5 μmol/L) N = 31 | p value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Age (years) | 68.5 (61.3–79.5) | 67.5 (56.3–74.8) | 70.0 (57.0–78.0) | 0.371 |
Male gender | 17 (53.1) | 18 (56.3) | 23 (74.2) | 0.182 |
Smoking | 3 (9.4) | 6 (18.2) | 10 (32.3) | 0.074 |
Disease severity | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 APACHE II scores | 29 (28.0–31.0) | 28.0 (23.3–31.0) | 29.0 (24.0–32.0) | 0.742 |
 SOFA scores | 12.0 (10.0–12.8) | 11.0 (9.0–13.8) | 11.0 (9.0–12.0) | 0.662 |
 Mean arterial pressure (mmHg) | 56.7 (50.3–63.5) | 58.3 (50.2–65.0) | 53.0 (46.3–61.3) | 0.163 |
 Septic shock | 14 (43.8) | 12 (37.5) | 8 (25.8) | 0.322 |
Causes & treatment of sepsis | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 Respiratory tract infection | 26 (81.3) | 24 (75.0) | 26 (83.9) | 0.663 |
 Urinary tract infection | 0 (0.0) | 3 (9.4) | 3 (9.7) | 0.196 |
 Intra-abdominal infection | 8 (25.0) | 7 (21.9) | 3 (9.7) | 0.262 |
 Bloodstream infection | 17 (53.1) | 17 (53.1) | 9 (29.0) | 0.087 |
 Abx pre-treatment, numbers | 5.5 (3.0–7.0) | 3.0 (2.3–4.8) | 2.0 (1.0–3.0) |  < 0.001 |
 Abx pre-treatment, days | 12.5 (3.3–27.8) | 3.0 (2.0–10.0) | 1.0 (1.0–4.0) |  < 0.001 |
Co-morbidities | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 Hypertension | 9 (28.1) | 13 (40.6) | 15 (48.4) | 0.250 |
 Diabetic mellitus | 7 (21.9) | 8 (25.0) | 8 (25.8) | 0.928 |
 Heart failure | 4 (12.5) | 2 (6.3) | 2 (6.5) | 0.594 |
 COPD | 3 (9.4) | 3 (9.4) | 1 (3.2) | 0.561 |
 Cirrhosis | 2 (6.3) | 3 (9.4) | 0 (0.0) | 0.238 |
 Prior CAD | 1 (3.1) | 2 (6.3) | 8 (25.8) | 0.010 |
 Prior stroke or PAD | 1 (3.1) | 1 (3.1) | 5 (16.1) | 0.075 |
 Malignancy | 20 (62.5) | 15 (46.9) | 14 (45.2) | 0.313 |
 Autoimmune disease | 2 (6.3) | 6 (18.6) | 4 (12.9) | 0.322 |
Laboratory data | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 White blood cells (K) | 9.0 (3.3–15.0) | 9.6 (1.1–16.2) | 8.6 (2.1–12.4) | 0.906 |
 Hemoglobin (mg/dL) | 8.6 (7.7–9.3) | 8.8 (7.7–10.0) | 8.4 (7.6–9.8) | 0.722 |
 eGFR (mL/min/1.73m2) | 57.4 (26.4–90.3) | 43.0 (21.8–78.9) | 21.5 (7.4–35.2) | 0.001 |
 Total bilirubin (mg/dL) | 1.8 (0.7–3.1) | 1.7 (0.8–4.5) | 0.8 (0.4–1.7) | 0.008 |
 Glucose (mg/dL) | 132.0 (97.8–205.8) | 133.0 (101.3–204.0) | 147.0 (107.0–228.0) | 0.697 |
 Lactate (mg/dL) | 18.3 (8.3–25.4) | 16.7 (9.9–24.1) | 10.8 (7.2–19.8) | 0.268 |
 C-reactive protein (mg/dL) | 7.5 (3.0–13.4) | 12.2 (6.9–19.3) | 13.5 (5.9–25.0) | 0.030 |
 TMAO (μmol/L) | 0.1 (0.1–0.2) | 1.1 (0.7–1.9) | 4.7 (3.5–11.0) |  < 0.001 |
Nutritional status | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 Enteral intake of calories (kcal/day) | 89.5 (0.0–623.5) | 502.0 (0.0–768.9) | 1355.5 (1055.0–1573.0) |  < 0.001 |
 Enteral intake of protein (g/day) | 3.5 (0.0–25.9) | 20.0 (0.0–38.4) | 61.0 (35.0–71.0) |  < 0.001 |
 Total calories (% of target) | 30.9 (12.6–51.8) | 43.5 (27.9–68.0) | 81.7 (67.1–110.3) |  < 0.001 |
 Total protein (% of target) | 14.6 (0.0–53.1) | 32.0 (0.0–59.0) | 66.9 (55.4–86.2) |  < 0.001 |
 Body mass index | 19.3 (17.7–20.3) | 21.3 (18.7–25.2) | 23.9 (22.4–28.6) |  < 0.001 |
 Albumin (mg/dL) | 2.8 (2.6–3.2) | 2.9 (2.5–3.2) | 3.3 (2.9–3.8) | 0.001 |
 Prealbumin (mg/dL) | 6.9 (4.4–10.9) | 7.7 (5.4–13.1) | 12.0 (8.3–17.0) | 0.001 |
 Nutrition risk index | 80.1 (73.8–85.5) | 84.5 (78.5–92.4) | 98.3 (87.3–109.8) |  < 0.001 |
 NRS 2002 scores | 5.0 (5.0–6.0) | 4.0 (4.0–5.8) | 4.0 (3.0–4.0) |  < 0.001 |