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. 1991 Apr;37(4):572-5.

The spot test is not a reliable screening procedure for mucopolysaccharidoses

J G de Jong  1 , J J Hasselman, A A van Landeghem, H L Vader, R A Wevers
Affiliations
  • PMID: 1901775

The spot test is not a reliable screening procedure for mucopolysaccharidoses

J G de Jong et al. Clin Chem. 1991 Apr.

Abstract

To check the reliability of the Ames MPS paper spot test, which is based on the Azure A dye, we sent a series of urine samples to three laboratories where the spot test is part of the metabolic screening for mucopolysaccharidoses. In these laboratories false-negative results ranged between 19% and 35% and false-positive results ranged between 12% and 29% of all samples submitted. In contrast, the quantitative dimethylmethylene blue test (Clin Chem 1989;35:1472-7) detected an increased glycosaminoglycan content in all urine samples from mucopolysaccharidosis patients and gave no false-positive results. In the latter procedure, glycosaminoglycan content is expressed per millimole of creatinine, and age-dependent reference values are used. We conclude that the Ames spot test and other spot tests are unreliable as a screening procedure for mucopolysaccharidoses and should not be used to screen for these diseases.

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