Abstract

OSORIO, José Henry  and  POURFARZAM, Morteza. Hydrolysis of acylcarnitines during measurement in blood and plasma by tandem mass spectrometry. Acta bioquím. clín. latinoam. [online]. 2010, vol.44, n.2, pp.189-193. ISSN 0325-2957.

The measurement of acylcarnitines in blood is an important tool for diagnosis of some inherited metabolic diseases and secondary metabolic deficiencies. Under the acidic conditions and the high temperature used for the derivatisation process, it is feasible that some degree of hydrolysis of acylcarnitines to free carnitine may occur and therefore potentially interfere with free carnitine measurements. The objective of the present study was to investigate the hydrolysis of acylcarnitines (short-chain-, medium-chain, and long chain acylcarnitines) during derivatisation process and to analyse its effect on free carnitine measurement. The average percentage of hydrolysis was 27% for short-chain acylcarnitines, 17% for medium-chain acylcarnitines, and 5% for long-chain acylcarnitines. These results can increase the free carnitine levels in the analysed samples.

Keywords : Carnitine; Acylcarnitines; Tandem mass spectrometry.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )