Kinetic nephelometric determination of transthyretin and retinol-binding protein in neonatal serum

We have developed a kinetic immunonephelometric method for the determination of retinol-binding protein and modified the method of Jacob et al (Clin Chem 1983; 29: 564) for the determination of transthyretin (prealbumin) in neonatal serum specimens from small, premature infants. The methodologies allow detection of 17.5 mg/l transthyretin and 1.7 mg/l retinol-binding protein in 25 microliter of serum. Between-run precision studies using pooled neonatal serum gave CV values of 3% and 5-6% for transthyretin and retinol-binding protein, respectively. Results obtained for neonatal specimens using this method agreed well with those obtained for the same specimens using radial immunodiffusion. Mean (SD) serum concentrations for 39 neonatal specimens were 100.4 (46.6) and 26.3 (10.8) mg/l for transthyretin and retinol-binding protein, respectively.