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Liquid-chromatographic evaluation of age-related changes in the urinary excretion of free catecholamines in pediatric

T G Rosano

    Clinical Chemistry
    |February 1, 1984
    PubMed

    Insights

    Urinary dopamine levels are sensitive indicators for detecting neuroblastoma in children. However, epinephrine and norepinephrine measurements may yield false negatives, highlighting dopamine

    Area of Science:

    • Biochemistry
    • Pediatric Oncology
    • Clinical Chemistry

    Background:

    • Catecholamine excretion in children normally decreases with age.
    • Neuroblastoma is a common pediatric cancer affecting the adrenal glands.
    • Accurate diagnostic markers are crucial for early detection and treatment.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To establish age-specific reference intervals for urinary catecholamines (epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopamine) in pediatric patients.
    • To evaluate the diagnostic utility of these reference intervals in identifying neuroblastoma.

    Main Methods:

    • Collected and analyzed urinary samples from pediatric patients.
    • Measured urinary excretion of epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine relative to creatinine.
    • Developed age-based reference ranges for catecholamine excretion.
    • Applied these ranges to a cohort of patients with neuroblastoma.

    Main Results:

    • Established age-related reference intervals for urinary epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine excretion.
    • Urinary dopamine determination showed high clinical sensitivity for neuroblastoma detection.
    • Urinary epinephrine and norepinephrine measurements resulted in significant false-negative findings.

    Conclusions:

    • Urinary dopamine levels serve as a sensitive biomarker for pediatric neuroblastoma.
    • Epinephrine and norepinephrine are less reliable markers due to potential false negatives.
    • Established reference intervals aid in the interpretation of catecholamine excretion in pediatric oncology.

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