Prenatal diagnosis for organic acid disorders using two mass spectrometric methods, gas chromatography mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry

J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci. 2005 Aug 25;823(1):13-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2005.04.020.

Abstract

We performed prenatal diagnosis of organic acid disorders using two mass spectrometric methods; gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and tandem mass spectrometry (ESI/MS/MS). Of 28 cases whose amniotic fluid was tested, 11 cases were diagnosed as "affected". All cases whose samples were diagnosed as "unaffected" were confirmed to have no symptoms or abnormalities in urinary organic acid analysis after birth. Of the 11 "affected" cases, two cases were missed by ESI/MS/MS but not by GC/MS. When the stability of metabolites in amniotic fluid was checked, it was found that acylcarnitines degraded in one week at room temperature, whereas organic acids such as methylmalonate or methylcitrate were stable for at least 14 days. Prenatal diagnosis by analysis using simultaneous two or more methods may be more reliable, though attention should be paid to sample transportation conditions.

MeSH terms

  • Amniotic Fluid / chemistry*
  • Carboxylic Acids / metabolism
  • Carnitine / analogs & derivatives
  • Carnitine / analysis
  • Female
  • Fetal Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / methods
  • Glutarates / analysis
  • Humans
  • Mass Spectrometry / methods*
  • Metabolism, Inborn Errors / diagnosis*
  • Metabolism, Inborn Errors / metabolism
  • Methylmalonic Acid / analysis
  • Pregnancy
  • Prenatal Diagnosis / methods*
  • Propionates / analysis
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization / methods
  • Temperature

Substances

  • Carboxylic Acids
  • Glutarates
  • Propionates
  • propionylcarnitine
  • Methylmalonic Acid
  • glutaric acid
  • Carnitine