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Use of the CRAFTi portable fluorometer to measure serum retinol (vitamin A) concentrations
Author(s) -
Chaimongkol Lakshana,
Winichagoon Pattanee,
Craft Neal E.,
Furr Harold C.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.22.1_supplement.1102.4
Subject(s) - fluorometer , retinol , chromatography , high performance liquid chromatography , vitamin , extraction (chemistry) , chemistry , zeaxanthin , zoology , biochemistry , biology , fluorescence , carotenoid , lutein , physics , quantum mechanics
Rapid assessment of vitamin A status could be a very useful tool for identifying individuals or groups at risk of vitamin A deficiency. We have evaluated a portable fluorometer modified to measure Retinol that is bound to Retinol Binding Protein in small volumes (25 uL) of serum or plasma without need for solvent extraction. A typical determination requires approximately 30 minutes total time (including collection of blood) but samples can be batch‐processed to increase throughput. Performance of the CRAFTi portable fluorometer was tested by comparing values obtained using it against those obtained by conventional extraction and HPLC analysis of serum retinol on 38 blood samples obtained from women factory workers (lower socioeconomic status) in Bangkok, Thailand. Serum retinol values as determined by HPLC ranged from 0.79 to 2.52 uM (1.60 ± 0.41, mean ± std. dev.); as determined by the fluorometer, from 0.98 to 2.79 uM (1.53 ± 0.43). The slope of the correlation was 0.81 (fluorometer/HPLC). A Bland‐Altman plot showed no systematic bias between the two methods. Furthermore, results by two different analysts using the fluorometer showed good agreement with no evidence of systematic bias. (Supported in part by Sight & Life and Craft Technologies, Inc.)