Clinical adaptation of a high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the assay of pyridoxal 5 '-phosphate in human plasma

Vitamin B6, measured as pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP), is a co-enzyme in the transsulfuration pathway of homocysteine metabolism. Since depletion of PL P has been suggested as an independent risk factor for coronary artery dise ase, PLP is frequently measured to guide patient care. By a change and util ization of an Aquasil C18 column and the addition of an acetonitrile clean- up gradient to the potassium phosphate, with sodium perchlorate and bisulfi te buffer between samples we report the modification of a previously descri bed method for analysis of PLP. The result is a more practical, efficient, reliable and robust method for daily clinical use, We also determined and r eport that it is critical to protect freshly prepared standard PLP samples from light exposure during assay preparation. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V . All rights reserved.