A robust method for testing urinary iodine using a microtitre robotic system

Iodine deficiency disorders are due to inadequate thyroid hormone production and 2 billion individuals worldwide are estimated to have insufficient iodine intake. Laboratory assessment methods include urinary iodine (UI) concentration, blood FT3, FT4, TSH and Thyroglobulin. The aim of this study was to set up a robust method for testing urinary iodine using a microtitre robotic system.

The UI method described is based on the Sandell-Kolthoff reaction, which utilizes the catalytic role of iodine in the reduction of ceric ammonium sulphate in the presence of arsenious acid. This method was automated for use on microtitre robotic system.

The method was compared with the currently employed manual Sandell-Kolthoff reaction method in our laboratory as reference. The two methods correlated well using weighted Deming regression analysis (slope=1.066, intercept=6.5, r=0.994; n=211). Interassay and intraassay variations were similar to the reference method, but cost analysis indicated a large reduction in costs related to increased throughput, and reduced consumables and labour.

We have successfully adapted UI testing to an automated method, permitting cheaper, faster and robust screening of large numbers of patients and populations. The described protocol can be used on different microtitre robotic systems permitting up to 372 patient samples per run for 4 microtitre plate systems.