Protocol Number: 06-N-0047

Title:

Reference Values for Plasma Catechols

Number:

06-N-0047

Summary:

Objectives: Plasma levels of catechols have distinct meanings in terms of indicating functions of endogenous catecholamine systems. This Protocol is designed to enable ongoing quality assurance of diagnostic and research assays of catechols and their metabolites and to identify possible influences of demographic and anthropometric factors, dietary constituents, and conditions of sampling on reference values.

Study Populations: The study population is healthy volunteers and people who are obese or have untreated hypertension.

Design: Arm venous blood is drawn via an indwelling i.v. catheter from healthy volunteers across demographic and anthropometric spectra (age, gender, skin color, ethnicity, body mass, adiposity), to obtain quality control plasma and establish reference values for plasma levels of catechols and their metabolites. Non-invasive physiological measures are obtained concurrently. Levels of catechols and their metabolites are related to results of common clinical pathology tests. Subgroups of subjects are tested more than once, to assess dietary influences (cereal with milk, coffee) and conditions of sampling (temperature at the skin).

Outcome Measures: The main non-experimental outcome is an ongoing pool of quality control plasma. The main experimental outcome measures are plasma concentrations of catechols and their metabolites, non-invasive physiological measures, and results of common clinical pathology tests. Subject groups are compared with respect to the above demographic and anthropometric factors. Effects of the experimental manipulations are assessed within subjects

Sponsoring Institute:

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

Recruitment Detail

Type: Participants currently recruited/enrolled

Gender: Male & Female

Referral Letter Required: Yes

Population Exclusion(s): Children

Eligibility Criteria:

INCLUSION CRITERIA:

The subjects are healthy volunteers 18 years or older who are not pregnant or lactating.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

Minors younger than 18 years old are excluded.

A candidate subject is excluded if, in the judgment of the Principal Investigator, Protocol participation would place the subject at substantially increased acute medical risk. A candidate subject is excluded if, in the opinion of the Principal Investigator, the medical risk outweighs the potential scientific benefit.

A candidate subject is excluded if there is a disqualifying condition. Examples of disqualifying conditions are hepatic failure, a history of tachyarrhythmias or heart block, symptomatic congestive heart failure, severe anemia, psychosis, refractory ventricular arrhythmias, symptomatic coronary heart disease, diabetes mellitus, or hyperthyroidism. Abnormal screening results may exclude further participation, at the discretion of the Principal Investigator.

Subjects will be excluded from further participation and referred for medical management, if the systolic blood pressure during supine rest is greater than or equal to 160 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 105 mm Hg. Hypertensives are excluded from the part of the study about coffee drinking.

Alcohol addiction.

A candidate subject is excluded if clinical considerations require that the patient continue treatment with a drug likely to interfere with the scientific results. Examples are acetaminophen, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, adrenoceptor agonists or antagonists, anticoagulants, anticonvulsants, antipsychotics, calcium channel blockers, hypoglycemic agents, digoxin, dopaminergic drugs, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, oral contraceptives, sedatives, steroids, and tricyclic antidepressants. Patients are not to discontinue any medications, just to participate in this study.

Subjects in whom we feel it would be difficult to insert a catheter into a vein are excluded.

Pregnant or lactating women are excluded.

Special Instructions:

Currently Not Provided

Keywords:

Adrenaline

Norepinephrine

Catecholamines

Sympathetic Nervous System

Obesity

Recruitment Keyword(s):

Healthy Volunteer

HV

Condition(s):

Catecholamine

Investigational Drug(s):

None

Investigational Device(s):

None

Intervention(s):

None

Supporting Site:

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Contact(s):

Patient Recruitment and Public Liaison Office
Building 61
10 Cloister Court
Bethesda, Maryland 20892-4754
Toll Free: 1-800-411-1222
TTY: 301-594-9774 (local),1-866-411-1010 (toll free)
Fax: 301-480-9793

Electronic Mail:prpl@mail.cc.nih.gov

Citation(s):

Goldstein DS, Lenders JW, Kaler SG, Eisenhofer G. Catecholamine phenotyping: clues to the diagnosis, treatment, and pathophysiology of neurogenetic disorders. J Neurochem. 1996 Nov;67(5):1781-90. Review.

Eisenhofer G, Goldstein DS, Stull R, Keiser HR, Sunderland T, Murphy DL, Kopin IJ. Simultaneous liquid-chromatographic determination of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylglycol, catecholamines, and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine in plasma, and their responses to inhibition of monoamine oxidase. Clin Chem. 1986 Nov;32(11):2030-3.

Holmes C, Eisenhofer G, Goldstein DS. Improved assay for plasma dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and other catechols using high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. J Chromatogr B Biomed Appl. 1994 Mar4;653(2):131-8.

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