title: Dependence of hemoglobin mass estimation with the optimized CO-rebreathing method on different spectrophotometers.
abstract: The assessment of total hemoglobin mass (tHb-mass) with the optimized carbon monoxide-rebreathing procedure (oCOR) is discussed as a promising method to detect blood doping. The method requires repeated measurements of the carboxyhemoglobin fraction (%HbCO) using spectrophotometers (CO oximeters). In order to determine whether %HbCO measurements with different spectrophotometers yield similar tHb-masses, the results of 57 tHb-mass calculations from simultaneous %HbCO measurements with two different spectrophotometers (RapidLab, OSM3) were analyzed. For the comparison of longitudinal tHb-mass alterations (ΔtHb-mass), 3 tHb-mass measurements were obtained at 6-month intervals (33-37 subjects). Because of significant differences in %HbCO measurements, the limits of agreement for tHb-mass(OSM3) and tHb-mass(RapidLab) were 11.2% (95% reference range -6.8 to +15.6%) and the correlation of ΔtHb-masses as determined with the two spectrophotometers over two time intervals was weak (r: 0.28-0.66). In only about 70% of all ΔtHb-mass estimations did ΔtHb-mass(OSM3) and ΔtHb-mass(RapidLab) show the same direction of change. Apparently, the analytical variation in tHb-mass determination with oCOR increases considerably with the use of different spectrophotometers. Therefore, agreement on the use of one spectrophotometer that accurately measures low %HbCO values is needed if oCOR should be used in an anti-doping setting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sports Medicine, Medical Clinic, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ulrich
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Strunz
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Frese
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bärtsch
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Friedmann-Bette
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002248:Carbon Monoxide; D002263:Carboxyhemoglobin; D004300:Doping in Sports; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010092:Oximetry; D013053:Spectrophotometry / Q000295:instrumentation
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D002248:Carbon Monoxide; D002263:Carboxyhemoglobin