The stability of markers in dried-blood spots for recommended newborn screening disorders in the United States.

Author(s): Adam BW, Hall EM, Sternberg M, Lim TH, Flores SR, O'Brien S, Simms D, Li LX, De Jesus VR, Hannon WH

Publication: Clin Biochem, 2011, Vol. 44, Page 1445-50

PubMed ID: 21963384 PubMed Review Paper? No

Purpose of Paper

Conclusion of Paper

Studies

1. Study Purpose

   The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of humidity and duration of storage at 37 degrees C on 34 analytes in DBS. The blood specimens were adjusted for hematocrit and to achieve levels of markers necessary for measurement in normal blood. The low humidity specimens were stored with desiccant in sealed bags, while the high humidity specimens were stored in open bags in a high humidity chamber.

   Summary of Findings:

   C0 increased during 35 days of storage, and the increase was 6 fold higher when specimens were stored in high humidity rather than low humidity. Along with C0, levels of MET, VAL, C5, C14:1 and 3-hydroxyisovalerylcarnitine did not decrease after storage for 31-35 days at 37 degrees C in a high humidity environment, while storage under these conditions caused levels of all other analytes tested to decrease. On the other hand, only thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), 17 α-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP), immunoreactive trypsinogen (IR), total galactose, galactose-1-phosphate uridyltransferase (GALT), biotinidase (BIOT), arginine (ARG), citrulline, decanoylcarnitine (C10), and 3-hydroxypalmitoylcarnitine (C160H) declined with storage in a low humidity environment (p<0.05), while all other analytes, except C0 which increased, were unaffected by storage under low humidity conditions. All analytes except GALT, VAL, and C5 were significantly more affected by storage at high humidity than low humidity. BIOT, succinylacetone (SUAC), ARG, acetylcarnitine (C2), malonylcarnitine; (C3DC), decenoylcarnitine (C10:1), and C14:1 decreased by more than 90% during the 31-35 days at high humidity, but at low humidity only GALT and BIOT declined by more than 30% during the 31-35 days of storage at 37 degrees C.

   Biospecimens

   • Bodily Fluid - Blood

   Preservative Types

   • Other Preservative

   Diagnoses:

   • Normal

   Platform:

   Analyte	Technology Platform
   Protein	Enzyme assay
   Small molecule	MS/MS
   Carbohydrate	Enzyme assay

   Pre-analytical Factors:

   Classification	Pre-analytical Factor	Value(s)
   Storage	Storage duration	0 days 3 days 10-11 days 14 days 16-18 days 21 days 23-25 days 28 days 31-35 days
   Storage	Storage conditions	Less than 30% humidity More than 90% humidity

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