Development and validation of an HPLC-MS method for a simultaneous measurement of oxalate and citrate in urine / Desarrollo y validación de un método de HPLC-MS para la medida simultánea de oxalato y citrato en orina

Objectives. An increased urinary oxalate and reduced urinary citrate are considered major risk factors in the formation of calcium oxalate kidney stones. In this work, an HPLC-MS method is presented for the simultaneous measurement of oxalate and citrate in urine. Methods. Sample preparation was carried out using a liquid-liquid extraction with ethyl acetate. Chromatographic separation was performed in a C18 column by gradient elution with methanol and 1 M formate buffer at 35 °C. Citrate and oxalate were monitored on a single-quadrupole MS system. Results. The method was linear in the concentration range of 0.5 mg/L to 450 mg/L for oxalate and from 2.5 mg/L to 950 mg/L for citrate. The Lower Limit of Measurement was 0.56 mg/L for oxalate and 2.5 mg/L for citrate. The within-day imprecision was 6% for oxalate and 3% for citrate, and the between day imprecision was lower than 15% for both analytes. LC-MS method was compared with capillary electrophoresis and it was shown that both methods were interchangeable to measure oxalate, but not citrate. Conclusions. HPLC-MS method is a good approach to measure oxalate and citrate in 24-hour urine, and it is applicable in clinical routine for patients with recurrent stone formation (AU)

Objetivos. La hiperoxaluria e hipocitraturia están consideradas el principal factor de riesgo en la formación de cálculos renales de oxalato cálcico. En este trabajo se ha desarrollado un método de HPLC-MS para la medida simultánea de oxalato y citrato en orina. Métodos. La preparación de muestras se realizó por una extracción líquido-líquido con etilacetato. La separación cromatográfica se llevó a cabo en una columna C-18 a 35 °C con un gradiente de elución con metanol y ácido fórmico 1 M. El citrato y el oxalato se monitorizaron mediante espectrometría de masas con un cuadrupolo simple. Resultados. El método fue lineal para el oxalato en el rango de concentración de 0,5 a 450 mg/l y para el citrato de 2,5 a 950 mg/l. El límite menor de intervalo de medida fue de 0,56 mg/l para el oxalato y de 2,5 mg/l para el citrato. La imprecisión intradía fue del 6% para el oxalato y del 3% para el citrato, y la interdía fue inferior al 15% para ambos analitos. El método de LC-MS desarrollado se comparó con un método de electroforesis capilar y se demostró que ambos eran intercambiables para el oxalato, pero no para el citrato. Conclusiones. El método de HPLC-MS desarrollado constituye una buena aproximación para medir oxalato y citrato en orina de 24 horas y es aplicable en la rutina clínica para pacientes con riesgo de formación de cálculos renales (AU)

MECP2 Duplications in Symptomatic Females: Report on 3 Patients Showing the Broad Phenotypic Spectrum.

Xq28 microduplications including the MECP2 gene constitute a 100% penetrant X-linked syndrome in males caused by overexpression of normal MeCP2 protein. A small number of cases of affected females have been reported. This can be due to the location of the duplicated material into an autosome, but it can also be due to the location of the duplicated material into one of the X chromosomes and random or unfavorable skewed X chromosome inactivation, which is much more likely to occur but may be underdiagnosed because of the resulting broad phenotypic spectrum. In order to contribute to the phenotypic delineation of Xq28 microduplications including MECP2 in symptomatic females, the authors present clinical and molecular data on 3 patients illustrating the broad phenotypic spectrum. Our finding underlines the importance of quantitative analysis of MECP2 in females with intellectual disability and raises the question of the indication in females with borderline intellectual performances or learning difficulties.