[Evaluation of enzymatic method for determination of serum beta-hydroxybutyrate and its clinical application].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate an enzymatic method for determining serum beta-hydroxybutyrate (beta-HB) with the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) projects, and to discuss its clinical values in diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).


METHODS
The precision, accuracy, specificity, linearity and interference of the enzymatic method were analyzed. This method was used to determine serum beta-HB in 60 cases of normals, 50 cases of diabetes, and 34 cases of DKA by autochemistry analyzer.


RESULTS
Enzymatic beta-HB assay was precise (within-run CV, day-to-day CV, and total CV < 5%). The linearity studies showed the method was linear up to 4 mmol/L. Recovery rate was 98.5%-104.1%. Hemolysis (Hemoglobin up to 18.2 g/L), icteric samples with total bilirubin up to 224 mumol/L, and lipemia up to triglyceride concentration of 2.28 mmol/L did not interfere with the beta-HB results in this method. Serum beta-HB levels were significantly elevated in DKA patients compared with DM patients and controls (P < 0.01). Positive rate of serum beta-HB in DKA patients was significantly higher than that of urinary ketone (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Enzymatic method is convenient and reliable, allows full automation, and is rapid enough to be used for both routine and urgent determinations of serum beta-HB. It can be used in diagnosing and monitoring treatment of DKA.
Ren
Feng-qin
FQ
Department of Laboratory Medicine, PUMC Hospital, CAMS and PUMC, Beijing 100730, China.
Yan
Sheng-kai
SK
Mao
Da-yong
DY
Li
Yu-xiu
YX
Xiao
Xin-hua
XH
Xu
Er-mu
EM
D020155:3-Hydroxybutyric Acid / Q000097:blood*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001322:Autoanalysis; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood*; D016883:Diabetic Ketoacidosis / Q000097:blood*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D020155:3-Hydroxybutyric Acid