The Claim

Serum concentrations of trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) above 12.44 µmol/L are associated with a 65.2% sensitivity and 76.9% specificity for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease, with an area under the ROC curve of 0.689.

Source: Correlation Analysis of Gut Microbiota Derivatives with Coronary Artery Disease Severity and Prognosis

What the research says

Supports is higher

Support is ahead, but a single strong opposing study can change this.

Supports
58score
Challenges
0score

These are independent scores, not a percentage. Higher-grade studies count more, so a single strong opposing study can outweigh several weaker ones.

Quantitative
1 study reviewed
In plain English

A blood level of trimethylamine-N-oxide above 12.44 µmol/L is linked to a 65.2% chance of correctly identifying people with coronary artery disease and a 76.9% chance of correctly identifying those without it, based on diagnostic test performance metrics.

See the scientific wording

Serum concentrations of trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) above 12.44 µmol/L are associated with a 65.2% sensitivity and 76.9% specificity for diagnosing coronary artery disease, indicating moderate diagnostic accuracy as measured by an area under the ROC curve of 0.689.

Why this might work

Bacteria in the gut break down certain foods into a compound that the liver turns into TMAO. High levels of TMAO cause white blood cells to absorb too much fat and turn into foam cells that build up in artery walls. TMAO also damages the inner lining of blood vessels and makes platelets stickier, leading to blockages in the heart arteries.

Verified mechanismbased on 1 study

What the research says

1 study
  1. Study: Correlation Analysis of Gut Microbiota Derivatives with Coronary Artery Disease Severity and Prognosis

    This study found that when people have a certain amount of TMAO in their blood (12.44 µmol/L or more), it can help doctors tell if they have heart disease — correctly spotting about two-thirds of cases and correctly ruling it out in most people who don’t have it. That makes it a moderately useful blood test.

Score breakdown, mechanism chain, raw evidence, ideal studies needed & 1 supporting studies

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