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Estimation of the urinary galactitol level in children by capillary gas chromatography
1Department of Pediatrics, Hiroshima University School of Medicine, Japan.
Insights
Urinary galactitol levels in children are highest in newborns and decrease significantly with age. This study shows a strong age-dependent pattern in galactitol concentration for non-galactosemic children.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Pediatrics
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Galactitol is a sugar alcohol.
- Elevated galactitol can indicate metabolic disorders.
- Understanding normal galactitol levels is crucial for diagnosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine normal urinary galactitol concentrations in non-galactosemic children.
- To investigate the relationship between age and urinary galactitol levels.
Main Methods:
- Capillary gas chromatography was used for analysis.
- 133 non-galactosemic children aged 12 days to 14 years were studied.
- Children were grouped by age.
Main Results:
- Urinary galactitol was highest in neonates (64.04 mmol/mol creatinine).
- Urinary galactitol was lowest in children over 2 years old (7.12 mmol/mol creatinine).
- A clear inverse correlation between age and galactitol concentration was observed.
Conclusions:
- Urinary galactitol concentration is strongly age-dependent in children.
- Age-specific reference ranges for urinary galactitol may be necessary.
- This finding aids in the interpretation of galactitol levels in pediatric metabolic screening.
Abstract:
A rapid and efficient capillary gas chromatography was utilized to measure urinary galactitol in 133 non-galactosemic children on a free diet. The children aged from 12 days to 14 years were divided by age into six groups. The urinary galactitol concentration was found to be the highest (64.04 mmol/mol creatinine) in the neonatal group and the lowest (7.12 mmol/mol creatinine) in the group over 2 years old. It is concluded that the urinary concentration of galactitol is strongly age-dependent.