Mass spectrometric determination of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid
AssigneeQuest Diagnostics Investments Incorporated
InventorsScott M. Goldman, Julie A. Neidich
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention relates to the detection of DHA and EPA. In a particular aspect, the invention relates to methods for detecting DHA and EPA by mass spectrometry.
Claims32
A method for determining the amount of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in a plasma or serum sample by mass spectrometry, the method comprising the steps of:
- (i) subjecting DHA from the sample to an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) source to generate one or more DHA ions detectable by mass spectrometry;
- (ii) determining the amount of said one or more DHA ions by single mass spectrometry, having a limit of detection for DHA at a concentration of about 5 μmol/L or less;
- and
- (iii) relating the amount of DHA ions to the amount of DHA in the sample.
A method for determining the amount of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in a plasma or serum sample by mass spectrometry, the method comprising the steps of:
- (i) subjecting EPA from the sample to an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) source to generate one or more EPA ions detectable by mass spectrometry;
- (ii) determining the amount of said one or more EPA ions by single mass spectrometry, having a limit of detection for EPA at a concentration of about 10 μmol/L or less;
- and
- (iii) relating the amount of one or more EPA ions to the amount of a EPA in the sample.
A method of determining the amount of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), or both in a plasma or serum sample from a human patient, comprising:
- (i) subjecting said human plasma or serum sample to a hydrolyzing agent to generate a hydrolyzed sample;
- (ii) purifying DHA and/or EPA in said hydrolyzed sample;
- (iii) subjecting said purified DHA and/or EPA to an ionization source in negative ion mode to generate one or more DHA and/or EPA ions detectable by mass spectrometry;
- (iv) determining the amount of said one or more DHA and/or EPA ions by single mass spectrometry;
- and
- (v) relating the amount of DHA and/or EPA ions determined in step (iv) to the amount of a DHA and/or EPA in the human plasma or serum sample.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.