Rapid screening of polysaccharide-based plasma volume expanders dextran and hydroxyethyl starch in human urine by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

Biomed Chromatogr. 2008 Jul;22(7):695-701. doi: 10.1002/bmc.986.

Abstract

The increasing number of samples and target substances in doping control requires continuously improved screening methods, combining high-throughput analysis, simplified sample preparation, robustness and reliability. Hence, a rapid screening procedure based on liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry with in-source collision-induced dissociation was developed. The detection of the polysaccharide-based plasma volume expanders dextran and hydroxyethyl starch (HES) in human urine was established without further sample preparation. The in-source fragmentation strategy of the approach represented a valuable tool in the analysis of the polysaccharide-based compounds, allowing the use of tandem mass spectrometry. After direct injection of urine specimens, analytes were chromatographically separated on a monolithic reverse-phase column and detected via multiple reaction monitoring of diagnostic ions at detection limits of 10 microg/mL for HES and 30 microg/mL for dextran. Validation was performed regarding the parameters specificity, linearity, precision (8-18%) and accuracy (77-105%) and the method was applied to the investigation of approximately 400 doping control samples and seven dextran and two hydroxyethyl starch post-administration samples. The approach demonstrated its capability as a rapid screening tool for the detection of dextran and hydroxyethyl starch and represents an alternative to existing screening procedures since time consuming hydrolysis or derivatization steps were omitted.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Validation Study

MeSH terms

  • Chromatography, Liquid / methods*
  • Dextrans / chemistry
  • Dextrans / urine*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hydroxyethyl Starch Derivatives / chemistry
  • Hydroxyethyl Starch Derivatives / urine*
  • Male
  • Plasma Substitutes / analysis*
  • Plasma Substitutes / chemistry
  • Tandem Mass Spectrometry / methods*

Substances

  • Dextrans
  • Hydroxyethyl Starch Derivatives
  • Plasma Substitutes