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Age-related reference values for urinary organic acids in a healthy Turkish pediatric population
1Central Clinical Chemistry Laboratory, CHUV, University of Lausanne, Switzerland.
Insights
This study establishes reference ranges for 69 organic acids in healthy Turkish children, finding concentrations generally decrease with age. Age-matched data is crucial for accurate interpretation of pediatric organic acid levels.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Pediatrics
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Organic acids are vital metabolic byproducts.
- Accurate reference ranges are essential for diagnosing metabolic disorders in children.
- Previous studies have not comprehensively characterized organic acid profiles in the Turkish pediatric population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify and report reference values for a wide spectrum of organic acids in healthy Turkish children.
- To establish age-specific reference data for 69 organic acids.
- To investigate the relationship between organic acid excretion and dietary factors.
Main Methods:
- Urine specimens were collected from healthy Turkish children aged 2 days to 16 years.
- Gas chromatography and mass spectrometry were used for quantification and identification of organic acids.
- Data was adjusted for creatinine content and analyzed across five age groups.
Main Results:
- Median values and percentiles for 69 organic acids (32 major, 37 minor) were determined.
- Organic acid concentrations generally decreased with increasing age.
- Significant correlations were observed between several organic acids and protein/caloric intake.
Conclusions:
- This study provides the first comprehensive reference ranges for organic acids in a Turkish pediatric cohort.
- Age-specific reference data is critical for the accurate clinical interpretation of organic acid profiles in children.
- Dietary intake significantly influences the excretion patterns of certain organic acids in pediatric populations.
Abstract:
Organic acid concentrations were quantified by gas chromatography and the individual acids identified by mass spectrometry in urine specimens from a healthy Turkish pediatric population of ages 2 days to 16 years, subdivided into five age groups. We quantified 69 organic acids (32 major and 37 minor components) and report here the median values and percentiles for each compound, adjusted for creatinine content, for the five groups. Concentrations of most of the organic acids tend to decrease with age but display substantial differences between age groups. This emphasizes the importance of comparing patients' data with age-matched reference data. Correlations between the excretion of organic acids and protein or caloric intake were significant for several compounds.