Abstract
The present study establishes whether the pH of samples is crucial for measuring total carnitine in human plasma by tandem mass spectrometry and if it is necessary to neutralize the samples after alkaline hydrolysis of acylcarnitines. Free and total carnitine of ten plasma samples were measured by a radioenzymatic assay as a reference method, and forward there were analyzed by tandem mass spectrometry divided into two groups: treated with hydrochloric acid and without hydrochloric acid measuring each sample five times for both variables. Free and total carnitine concentrations were similar for the radioenzymatic essay and tandem mass spectrometry. There was no significant difference between the two analyzed variables (treated with hydrochloric acid and without hydrochloric acid). It could be concluded that the pH of samples is no crucial for measuring total carnitine in plasma by tandem mass spectrometry, and it is not necessary to neutralize the samples after alkaline hydrolysis of acylcarnitines, then the shorter method, without adding hydrochloric acid can be used for total carnitine measurement in plasma by tandem mass spectrometry
Publisher
Universidad del Magdalena