WHOLE-BLOOD FOLATE CONCENTRATIONS - COMPARISON BETWEEN STRATUS FOLATE(DADE) AND RADIOASSAY (DPC) METHODS

The analytical performance of the Stratus Folate assay for intra-eryth rocyte folate determination in normal subjects and in patients affecte d by folate-related diseases was compared with that of the radioassay (DPC) routinely employed by us. Folate concentrations were measured in freshly obtained EDTA whole blood from 100 subjects. Haemolysis was p erformed with the appropriate lysis reagent. In addition, to compare t wo different haemolysis procedures folate determination was carried ou t in 51 samples haemolysed according to the two procedures in parallel . Data were analyzed using Wilcoxon's test and standardized principal component analysis. Stratus Folate assay and radioassay performances w ere comparable in terms of analytical characteristics as well as in in dividual intraerythrocyte folate values across the range of whole bloo d concentrations examined in the survey. Significant differences were detected between the two different haemolysis procedures only for the radioassay. In conclusion, we observed no significant differences betw een the two folate determination methods despite their different analy tical principles, which indicates the suitability of routine use of th e automated non-isotopic Stratus Folate assay for clinical purposes. M oreover, with the latter assay the laboratory staff could choose the m ore convenient haemolysis procedure.