FLUOROMETRIC METHODS FOR THE MEASUREMENT OF INTERMEDIATE METABOLITES (LACTATE, PYRUVATE, ALANINE BETA-HYDROXYBUTYRATE, GLYCEROL) USING A COBAS FARA CENTRIFUGAL ANALYZER

Intermediate products of the metabolism of glucose, fat and amino-acid are important in the evaluation of such metabolic disorders as diabetes mellitus, liver disease and metabolic acidosis. In the present study, methods for the measurement of intermediate metabolites (lactate, pyruvate, alanine, beta-hydroxybutyrate and glycerol) have been adapted to a fast centrifugal analyzer: the COBAS FARA. Correlation coefficients ranged from 0.90 to 0.99, compared to established manual spectrophotometric methods. Within-run coefficients of variation (CVs) ranged between 2.9 and 8.8% at low levels, between 1.5 and 5.7% at medium levels and between 1.2 and 5.6% at high levels. Between-run CVs were between 4.0 and 15.0% at low levels, between 1.7 and 70% at medium levels and between 1.3 and 27% at high levels. These fluorimetric assays for the determination of intermediate metabolites on COBAS FARA (Roche) have a good sensitivity and precision, are less costly than manual methods and can be used on a routine basis.