[Plasma glutamine level monitored with high performance liquid chromatography for patient infusing glutamine after...

To promote the restoration of the structure and functions of the graft intestine for a patient with small bowel transplantation, the authors gave intravenous infusion of 5% glutamine to the patient and the blood glutamine levels were determined with HPLC technique. The ultrafiltration technique was adapted to remove blood proteins. Good separation could be achieved when using micro-Bondapak C18 as separation cartridge, phthaldialdehyde as derivatization agent, gradient elution with methanol and phosphate buffer and detection at wavelength of 340 nm. The recovery rate was 90% to 105% and the lower limit of detection was 40 micromol/L with satisfactory separation. The results of this method are proved to be a timely and reliable indicator for glutamine level in blood for patients of small bowel transplantation with glutamine infusion.