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Dopamine concentration in blood platelets is elevated in patients with head and neck paragangliomas

  • Thamara E. Osinga , Anouk N.A. van der Horst-Schrivers EMAIL logo , Martijn van Faassen , Michiel N. Kerstens , Robin P.F. Dullaart , Marloes A.M. Peters , Bernard F.A.M. van der Laan , Geertruida H. de Bock , Thera P. Links and Ido P. Kema
Published/Copyright: December 17, 2015
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Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (CCLM)
From the journal Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (CCLM) Volume 54 Issue 8

Abstract

Background: Plasma 3-methoxytyramine (3-MT), a metabolite of dopamine, is elevated in up to 28% of patients with head and neck paragangliomas (HNPGLs). As free dopamine is incorporated in circulating platelets, we determined dopamine concentration in platelets in patients with a HNPGL.

Methods: A single center cohort study was performed between 2012 and 2014. Thirty-six patients with a HNPGL were compared to healthy controls (68 for dopamine in platelets and 120 for plasma 3-MT).

Results: Dopamine concentration in platelets was elevated in HNPGL patients compared to healthy controls (median [interquartile ranges] 0.48 [0.32–0.82] pmol/109 platelets vs. 0.31 [0.24–0.47] pmol/109 platelets; p<0.05), whereas plasma 3-MT concentration did not differ between both groups (0.06 [0.06–0.08] nmol/L vs. 0.06 [0.06–0.06] nmol/L; p=0.119). Based on 68 healthy controls, the reference interval for dopamine concentration in platelets was 0.12–0.97 pmol/109 platelets. Six (16.7%) patients with a HNPGL demonstrated an increased dopamine concentration in platelets compared to three (8.3%) patients with an increased plasma 3-MT level (p=0.053). The sensitivity and specificity were 16.7% and 98.5% for platelet dopamine and 8.3% and 97.5% for plasma 3-MT concentration (p=0.37).

Conclusions: Dopamine concentration in platelets is elevated in patients with a HNPGL compared to healthy subjects, and may be a novel biomarker for dopamine producing paraganglioma.

Keywords: 3-methoxytyramine; dopamine; paraganglioma; platelets
Corresponding author: Anouk N.A. van der Horst-Schrivers, MD PhD, Department of Endocrinology (AA31), University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands, Phone: +31-50-3613962, Fax: +31-50-3619392, E-mail:

Acknowledgments

We gratefully acknowledge the contribution of JoAnn van Seventer for providing editorial comments on the manuscripts.

  1. Author contributions: T.E. Osinga, A.N.A. van der Horst-Schrivers, M.N. Kerstens, R.P.F. Dullaart, B.F.A.M. van der Laan, T.P. Links and I.P. Kema contributed to the study conception, design and data interpretation; T.E. Osinga and M.A.M. Peters collected the data; M. van Faassen and I.P. Kema analyzed samples. G.H. de Bock contributed to the statistical analysis. All authors contributed to the writing, editing and final proof. All the authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this submitted manuscript and approved submission.

  2. Research funding: None declared.

  3. Employment or leadership: None declared.

  4. Honorarium: None declared.

  5. Competing interests: The funding organization(s) played no role in the study design; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the report for publication.

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Received: 2015-7-3
Accepted: 2015-11-9
Published Online: 2015-12-17
Published in Print: 2016-8-1

©2016 by De Gruyter

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  9. The problem with total error models in establishing performance specifications and a simple remedy
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  11. Uncertainty in measurement and total error – are they so incompatible?
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  26. Letters to the Editor
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  28. Mother’s instinct – a rare case of multiple test interferences due to heterophile antibodies
  29. Sigma metric or defects per million opportunities (DPMO): the performance of clinical laboratories should be evaluated by the Sigma metrics at decimal level with DPMOs
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https://doi.org/10.1515/cclm-2015-0631
Keywords for this article
3-methoxytyramine; dopamine; paraganglioma; platelets

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Editorials
  3. Laboratory analytical quality – the process continues
  4. Measurement uncertainty – a revised understanding of its calculation and use
  5. Review
  6. Substrate-zymography: a still worthwhile method for gelatinases analysis in biological samples
  7. Opinion Papers
  8. Is the combination of trueness and precision in one expression meaningful? On the use of total error and uncertainty in clinical chemistry
  9. The problem with total error models in establishing performance specifications and a simple remedy
  10. Measurement uncertainty for clinical laboratories – a revision of the concept
  11. Uncertainty in measurement and total error – are they so incompatible?
  12. General Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine
  13. Using the hazard ratio to evaluate allowable total error in predictive measurands
  14. Performance of electrolyte measurements assessed by a trueness verification program
  15. Analytical interference by monoclonal immunoglobulins on the direct bilirubin AU Beckman Coulter assay: the benefit of unsuspected diagnosis from spurious results
  16. Preliminary probe of quality indicators and quality specification in total testing process in 5753 laboratories in China
  17. Analytical and clinical evaluation of the new Fujirebio Lumipulse®G non-competitive assay for 25(OH)-vitamin D and three immunoassays for 25(OH)D in healthy subjects, osteoporotic patients, third trimester pregnant women, healthy African subjects, hemodialyzed and intensive care patients
  18. Patient-performed extraction of faecal calprotectin
  19. Comparison of the clinical utility of the Elia CTD Screen to indirect immunofluorescence on Hep-2 cells
  20. Reference Values and Biological Variations
  21. Sex-related differences in the association of ghrelin levels with obesity in adolescents
  22. Gestation specific reference intervals for thyroid function tests in pregnancy
  23. Cancer Diagnostics
  24. SOX17 promoter methylation in plasma circulating tumor DNA of patients with non-small cell lung cancer
  25. Dopamine concentration in blood platelets is elevated in patients with head and neck paragangliomas
  26. Letters to the Editor
  27. Cancer dynamics and the success of cancer screening programs
  28. Mother’s instinct – a rare case of multiple test interferences due to heterophile antibodies
  29. Sigma metric or defects per million opportunities (DPMO): the performance of clinical laboratories should be evaluated by the Sigma metrics at decimal level with DPMOs
  30. A national survey of preanalytical handling of oral glucose tolerance tests in pregnancy
  31. Updating pregnancy diabetes guidelines: is (y)our laboratory ready?
  32. Low serum bilirubin values are associated with pulmonary embolism in a case-control study
  33. Effect of Hb H on HbA1c measurements as measured by IFCC reference method and affinity HPLC
  34. Adipocytes in venipunctures cause falsely elevated S-100B serum values
  35. Earlier detection of sepsis by Candida parapsilosis using three-dimensional cytographic anomalies on the Mindray BC-6800 hematological analyzer
  36. Theranos phenomenon – part 4: Theranos at an International Conference
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