title: Reference intervals for 24-h urinary normetanephrine, metanephrine, and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxymandelic acid in hypertensive patients.
abstract: The urinary excretion of normetanephrine, metanephrine, and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxymandelic acid was quantified by HPLC in hypertensive patients who were being routinely investigated for the exclusion of pheochromocytoma. The data were used to calculate reference intervals for these analytes. Age- and sex-specific 95% reference intervals for 24-h urinary excretion were as follows (mumol/24 h): normetanephrine in men ages 16-35 years (n = 17) 0.7-3.4, in men older than 35 years (n = 121) 0.8-5.1, in women ages 16-35 years (n = 41) 0.5-2.1, and in women older than 35 years (n = 144) 0.6-3.3 mumol/24 h; metanephrine in men (n = 138) 0.3-2.0, and in women (n = 185) 0.2-1.3; and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxymandelic acid in men (n = 142) 10-54, and in women (n = 184) 9-38. Normetanephrine or metanephrine excretion rates or both exceeded the proposed reference intervals in seven of the eight patients with pheochromocytoma. Determination of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxymandelic acid excretion did not yield any additional diagnostic information.
authors.affiliation: Central Laboratory, University Central Hospital of Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kairisto
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Koskinen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mattila
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Puikkonen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Virtanen
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kantola
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Irjala
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000652:urine*; D008297:Male; D008676:Metanephrine / Q000652:urine*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009647:Normetanephrine / Q000652:urine*; D012016:Reference Values; D014642:Vanilmandelic Acid / Q000652:urine*
chemical_list: D009647:Normetanephrine; D008676:Metanephrine; D014642:Vanilmandelic Acid