AN AUTOMATED ENZYMATIC INULIN ASSAY, CAPABLE OF FULL SINISTRIN HYDROLYSIS

Renal inulin clearance remains the standard by which other methods of measuring glomerular filtration rate are judged. A fully automated enz ymatic assay capable of use with linear configuration inulin was recen tly published (Summerfield AL, et al. Clin Chem 1993; 39:2333-7). Sini strin, a readily soluble preparation of polyfructan with side branchin g, is more suitable for clinical use and far more widely used in Europ e. By modifying the incubation phase of samples with inulinase, incorp orating a kinetic modification to the method of fructose analysis, and increasing the buffer strengths, we report a fully automated system, with minimal sample prehandling capable of complete sinistrin hydrolys is, and adapted for use on the Cobas Mira.