Age Specific Reference Values of 24 Plasma Free Amino Acids in Korean Children

Lee, Kyung Ok; Ryu, Kwang Seok; Seo, Deok Kyu; Lee, Kang Hyub

Abstract

BACKGROUND: For early and accurate detection of amino acid disorders, such as inborn error of metabolism, metabolic acidosis, liver disease and kidney disease, establishment of reference value of amino acids have important clinical significances.
METHODS
In this study age specific reference values of 24 plasma free amino acids were determined in healthy Korean children with two age groups, 0-24 months for group 1 and 2-18 years for group II, using automatic amino acid analyzer based on ion-exchange chromatograph with ninhydrin detection.
RESULTS
The data of reference intervals (Mean+/-SD) in group I and group II were 274+/-69 umol/L and 315+/-75 umol/L of alanine, 40+/-20 umol/L, 52+/-25 umol/L of arginine, 44+/-17 umol/L, 55+/-18 umol/L of asparagine, 12+/-5 umol/L, 13+/-6 umol/L of aspartic acid, 13+/-6 umol/L, 15+/-6 umol/L of alpha-amino butyric acid, 16+/-10 umol/L, 18+/-8 umol/L of citrulline, 27+/-8 umol/L, 28+/-8 umol/L of cystine, 64+/-24 umol/L, 67+/-27 umol/L, of glutamic acid, 438+/-157 umol/L, 488+/-159 umol/L of glutamine, 210+/-51 umol/L, 214+/-47 umol/L of glycine, 62+/-20 umol/L, 72+/-21 umol/L of histidine, 54+/-16 umol/L, 61+/-17 umol/L of isoleucine, 104+/-31 umol/L, 112+/-33 umol/l of leucine, 138+/-37 umol/L, 160+/-38 umol/L of lysine, 23+/-7 umol/L, 24+/-7 umol/L of methionine, 86+/-26 umol/L, 106+/-40 umol/L of ornithine, 60+/-16 umol/L, 64+/-16 umol/L of phenylalanine, 12+/-4 umol/L, 11+/-6 umol/L of phosphoserine, 136+/-37 umol/L, 174+/-51 umol/L of proline, 131+/-30 umol/L, 137+/-29 umol/L of serine, 79+/-29 umol/L, 81+/-36 umol/L of taurine, 105+/-35 umol/L, 114+/-35 umol/L of threonine, 61+/-19 umol/L, 64+/-19 umol/L of tyrosine, 159+/-60 umol/L, 189+/-58 umol/L of valine, respectively. Arginine, cystine and threonine did not represent normal distribution in both group I and II. Eight amino acids, alanine, arginine, asparagine, isoleucine, lysine, ornithine, proline and valine, were shown a statistical significance between two age groups (P<0.05). Concentration of most of plasma free amino acids were shown a positive correlation with increase of age.
CONCLUSIONS
These data could be useful for the database for accurate and early detection of amino acid disorders among Korean children.

Age Specific Reference Values of 24 Plasma Free Amino Acids in Korean Children

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