Metabolites Associated with Bronchial Asthma in Children: Systematic Review

Objectives . With the development of modern omix technologies, there has been an increased interest in searching for biomarkers in various biological materials as a new diagnostic tool in the future noninvasive diagnostics of bronchial asthma (BA), especially those that can be used in clinical practice. Therefore, there is a need to systematize data on the features of metabolic profiles in children with asthma and to identify biochemical reactions associated with the pathogenesis of the disease. Objective . The aim of the study is to summarize the results of studies of metabolites determined by mass spectrometry and associated with bronchial asthma in children. Methods . The review included studies involving children with bronchial asthma under the age of 18, where a metabolome (a set of endogenous metabolites formed during metabolism in the body) was studied in biological samples obtained using noninvasive or minimally invasive methods by mass spectrometry methods. The search for published papers is performed in the Medline and eLibrary databases. The search period: until August 2025. Results . 29 studies were found where the metabolome was analyzed in exhaled air condensate samples (13 studies), blood serum (11), urine (5), and feces (1). Non-targeted analysis of metabolites was performed in 18 studies, targeted in 11. Among the metabolites, compounds related to the metabolism of lipids, proteins and amino acids, oxidative stress, compounds of the nicotinamide pathway, volatile organic compounds, bile acids, and heme metabolites were studied. Conclusion . Numerous changes in the molecular profile in children with bronchial asthma have been identified. Many of the metabolites in bronchial asthma are associated with inflammatory processes.