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Measurement of histamine: a quality control study
The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
|October 1, 1980
Summary
Laboratory measurements of histamine show significant variability across different methods and facilities. This highlights the need for caution when interpreting histamine levels in biological samples from the literature.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Analytical Chemistry
- Clinical Diagnostics
Background:
- Accurate quantification of histamine is crucial for understanding various physiological and pathological processes.
- Inter-laboratory variability in histamine measurements can lead to misinterpretation of research findings and clinical data.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the accuracy and reproducibility of histamine quantification across different laboratories.
- To compare the performance of various histamine assay methods, including enzymatic and fluorometric techniques.
Main Methods:
- Lyophilized histamine solutions in buffered saline and plasma were distributed to participating laboratories.
- Laboratories employed methods such as double-isotope dilution enzymatic assay, single-isotope enzymatic method, and manual/automated fluorometry.
- Internal laboratory validation using the double-isotope dilution enzymatic method was performed over six months.
Main Results:
- Significant inter-laboratory variation was observed for histamine determination in both buffer and plasma samples.
- The double-isotope dilution enzymatic assay showed marked discrepancies among the twelve participating laboratories.
- Single-isotope enzymatic methods and fluorometric assays also exhibited substantial variability in results.
Conclusions:
- Current laboratory practices for histamine quantification demonstrate considerable variability, impacting the reliability of reported values.
- Absolute histamine values in biological specimens reported in scientific literature should be interpreted with caution due to assay inconsistencies.