Measurement of urinary free cortisol using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry: comparison with the urine adapted ACS:180 serum cortisol chemiluminescent immunoassay and development of a new reference range.

BACKGROUND: The measurement of urinary free cortisol (UFC) is commonly used in the investigation of possible Cushing's syndrome. With the recent availability of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) in hospital laboratories, we wanted to develop a specific UFC LC-MS/MS method and compare it with our current immunoassay method and develop a new LC-MS/MS reference range if required. METHODS: A UFC LC-MS/MS method using deuterated cortisol as an internal standard was optimized using solid-phase extraction as a clean-up procedure. The multiple reaction-monitoring transitions used for the detection of cortisol and deuterated cortisol were 363.1 > 121 and 365.1 > 121.8, respectively. The method was investigated regarding precision, linearity, sensitivity, recovery and interference. UFC was measured by the in-house urine adapted ACS:180 serum cortisol immunoassay and the developed LC-MS/MS method in 110 urine samples from patients being investigated for possible Cushing's syndrome. RESULTS: The within-batch precisions (n = 25) of the LC-MS/MS method were 7.6%, 4.5% and 3.3% at 25.0 nmol/L, 49.6 nmol/L and 344.6 nmol/L, respectively; the between-batch precisions (n = 10) were 9.4%, 9.4% and 8.4%, respectively, at these concentrations. The method is sensitive down to 5 nmol/L and linear up to at least 1000 nmol/L. The method showed adequate cortisol recovery and no interference from the numerous drugs and steroids tested. The total run time for 20 samples, including sample preparation, was 120 min. A scatter plot of paired UFC measurements on the LC-MS/MS and the ACS:180 gave the equation: LC-MS/MS = 0.408 (ACS:180) + 2.65, r2 = 0.6664. The 24-h measured UFC results on 110 samples (25 men and 85 women) were positively skewed. After log transformation the data were less skewed, and following back transformation of the lower 97.5th centile, the upper limit of normal was 165 nmol/24 h. The 95th centile of the untransformed data was 146 nmol/24 h (n = 110, 25 men and 85 women). Separated by sex, the 95th centile was 152 nmol/24 h for men (n = 25) and 141 nmol/24 h for women (n = 85). CONCLUSIONS: We have developed a UFC LC-MS/MS method with a solid-phase extraction clean-up step. The method shows adequate performance and is suitable for routine laboratory use. The mixed sex (n = 110, men = 25, women = 85) reference range was up to 165 nmol/24 h or 146 nmol/24 h, depending on how the data are manipulated.

Measurement of total homocysteine in plasma and blood spots using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry: comparison with the plasma Abbott IMx method.

BACKGROUND: Current sampling for total homocysteine (tHcy) is problematic, requiring plasma separation within 15 min. The aim of this study was to develop a liquid chromatographic-tandem mass spectrometric (LC-MS/MS) method for the measurement of tHcy in plasma and dried blood spots and to determine whether the dried blood spot concentration could be used to predict plasma concentrations of tHcy. METHODS: LC-MS/MS methodology was optimized to measure tHcy in plasma and dried blood spots. Fifty blood samples collected from heart transplant patients were used to form dried blood spots and for plasma analysis. Plasma tHcy was also measured using the Abbott IMx method and values were compared to the tHcy concentrations determined in plasma and dried blood spots using LC-MS/MS methodology. RESULTS: The plasma tHcy LC-MS/MS results compared well with the IMx values: LC-MS/MS=1.18(IMx)-0.44 (r(2)=0.915). The within-batch precision (n =10) of the plasma LC-MS/MS method was < 2.0% at 14.6 and 37.7 micromol/L, respectively; the between-batch precision (n=10) was 5.0 and 8.0%, respectively, at these concentrations. The method was found to be sensitive down to 1 micromol/L and linear up to at least 100 micromol/L. Dried blood spot LC-MS/MS results were considerably lower than the plasma IMx values (P < 0.0001): dried blood spot LC-MS/MS=0.33IMx+1.77 (r(2)=0.682). The within-batch precision (n=20) of the dried blood spot LC-MS/MS method was 7.3% and 4.7% at concentrations of 4.0 and 7.9 micromol/L, respectively; the between-batch precision was 12.6% and 7.9% at concentrations of 5.1 and 8.0 micromol/L, respectively. To assess whether dried blood spots are suitable as a screening test to predict plasma tHcy concentrations, arbitary cut-off levels were compared. If it is assumed that a plasma tHcy concentration of >15 micromol/L is raised, a dried blood spot result of >6.8 micro mol/L has a sensitivity and specificity in detecting a raised plasma tHcy of 83.3% and 96.2%, respectively, and a positive and negative predictive value of 95% and 86%, respectively, with an efficiency of 90%. Use of a dried blood spot cut-off concentration of 6.2 micromol/L for predicting high plasma tHcy concentrations (above 15 micromol/L) has a sensitivity and specificity of 95.8% and 73.1%, respectively, positive and negative predictive values of 76% and 95%, respectively, and an efficiency of 84%. CONCLUSIONS: We have developed a precise and accurate LC-MS/MS method for measuring plasma tHcy concentrations, which uses a small volume of plasma and is suitable for routine use. A satisfactory LC-MS/MS method for the measurement of tHcy in dried blood spots was also developed; this method might be useful in routine screening for raised plasma concentrations of tHcy.

Assay of teicoplanin in serum: comparison of high-performance liquid chromatography and fluorescence polarization immunoassay.

A simple liquid extraction coupled with reverse-phase HPLC and UV detection was shown to correlate well with fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) on the Abbott TD(x) analyser for serum teicoplanin analysis, r(2) = 0.974, HPLC = 0.908 TDx + 2.324. A Bland-Altman plot showed no significant bias between the results. The HPLC method was linear over the range 10-100 mg/L. The HPLC method showed very good reproducibility, comparable to FPIA. The inter-assay coefficients of variation were 2.76%, 2.29% and 2.65% at 10.3, 51.4 and 77.1 mg/L, respectively, with intra-assay coefficients of variation of 1.86%, 1.97% and 1.17% at 9.13, 50.65 and 75.1 mg/L, respectively. Recoveries were between 99.1 and 101.8% within the analytical range. The HPLC method described is simple, robust, highly reproducible and suited to a clinical laboratory with the appropriate equipment.