An automated micro-method for the enzymatic determination of D-B-hydroxybutyrate in ruminant plasma

An enzymatic 'reaction rate' micro-method for the rapid routine estimation of D-B-hydroxybutyrate (D-B- HOB ) in ruminant plasma, using an I.L. Multistat III centrifugal analyzer, is described. Reaction conditions were optimized to give a linear response for plasma D-B- HOB concentrations between 100 and 2500 mumoles per litre, at 30 degrees C and pH 9.0. For the standardized method the within-run and between-run coefficients of variation for deproteinised ovine plasma were consistently less than 3.5%. There was good agreement between plasma concentrations obtained by the present method and both original U.V. end-point technique (r = 0. 927b = 0.950) and a colorimetric end-point procedure (r = 0.937. b = 0.879). Untreated ovine and bovine plasma consistently exhibited high 'blank' activity and this was directly correlated with plasma lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity in both species (r = 0.971; p less than 0.001 and r = 0.949; p less than 0.001 respectively). The distribution of LDH activity in man was similar to sheep but, contrastingly , non-specific interference was extremely low in human plasma and unrelated to LDH. Horse, chicken and rat had negligible 'blank' activity and comparatively low LDH levels. In both cattle and sheep non-specific interference was abolished by perchloric acid precipitation. In the sheep subtraction of 'blank' activity gave D-B- HOB concentrations for untreated plasma comparable to those in deproteinised samples. However, in the bovine, D-B- HOB levels remained significantly (t = 6.44; p less than 0.001) higher even after 'blank' correction. In contrast to man and other non-ruminants, perchloric acid precipitation is essential in ruminants to avoid false overestimation of plasma D-B- HOB levels. Plasma with EDTA as anticoagulant and serum gave concentrations of D-B- HOB approximately 60% lower, than samples containing heparin or oxalate/fluoride. However, heparin was associated with much higher (up to 50%) non-specific NAD reduction than oxalate/fluoride. High levels of acetoacetate (400-1000 mumoles per litre) reduced the recovery of D-B- HOB from ovine plasma by less than 10%. This effect was negated by the inclusion of hydrazine hydrate in the reaction mixture. Perchlorate ion concentrations above 25 mumoles per litre per test dramatically inhibited the assay in ovine plasma, and therefore precipitation conditions must be carefully controlled. Plasma with oxalate/fluoride as anticoagulant showed the greatest stability in storage; 24 hours at room temperature, one week at +4 degrees C and at least one month at -20 degrees C.