Metabolomics in neonatal life

SummaryMetabolomics (or metabonomics) is based on the systematic study of the complete set of metabolites in a biological sample and is considered the most innovative of the ‘omics’ sciences. The metabolome is currently regarded as the ‘new clinical biochemistry’ it is the most predictive phenotype, through consideration of epigenetic differences. Among more than 5000 papers listed in PubMed on this topic in the last three years, less than 60 refer to neonatal life. Aim of this review is to present the clinical applications of metabolomics in neonatology, including results of recent studies performed in experimental models and newborns.