Urine Organic Acid Test

If it is suspected that the patient is caught in the trap of inborn error of metabolism then to detect such condition we have an option of Urine organic acid analysis. Different sources comprising both normal and abnormal metabolism are responsible for the generation of different organic acids. These organic acids are entailed in urine. Their birth takes place from drug metabolism and drugs or from dietary supplements and xenobiotics. The potential application derived from this test comprises poisonings and toxicology.

Before carrying out urine organic acid analyses we have to do following preparations.
• If the test is carried out by the female then she has to get free from the period of menstruation.
• We should not have sweet dish or drink before the test as it will be problematic for the diabetic patient.
• The container of the urine and other solutions should be clean.

The utility of urine organic acid analysis can be discussed on following grounds.
• To identify the inborn error of metabolism.
• Useful for identifying many classes of biochemical compounds such as carbohydrates, neurotransmitters, acyglycines and amino acids.
• For testing the functioning of a chemical or nutrient in our body.
• The detection of lactic acid and ketones can be done by this test.
• Act as the substitute to liquid-liquid extraction for organic acid screening.

Following is the discussion of the process of urine organic acid analysis.
• The extraction of urine samples has to be done with ethyl acetate.
• The sample has to be derivatized to trimethylsilyl derivatives.
• The quantisation has to be performed by setting up of calibration curves with the standard solution which entails 74 organic acids.
• We have to do the evaluation of extraction efficiencies for 51 organic acids.
• We have to estimate interassay and intraassay imprecisions.