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. 2011 Dec;44(17-18):1445-50.
doi: 10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2011.09.010. Epub 2011 Sep 21.

The stability of markers in dried-blood spots for recommended newborn screening disorders in the United States

B W Adam  1 , E M Hall, M Sternberg, T H Lim, S R Flores, S O'Brien, D Simms, L X Li, V R De Jesus, W H Hannon
Affiliations

The stability of markers in dried-blood spots for recommended newborn screening disorders in the United States

B W Adam et al. Clin Biochem. 2011 Dec.

Abstract

Objective: We aimed to measure separately the contributions of heat and humidity to changes in levels of 34 markers of inborn disorders in dried-blood-spot (DBS) samples.

Design and methods: We stored paired sets of DBSs at 37°C for predetermined intervals in low-humidity and high-humidity environments. Marker levels of all samples in each complete sample set were measured in a single analytic run.

Results: During the 30 ± 5 day studies, galactose-1-phosphate uridyltransferase and biotinidase lost almost 65% of initial activities in low-humidity storage; most of the degradation in 27 other markers was attributable to adverse effects of high-humidity storage; seven markers in DBSs stored at high humidity lost more than 90% of initial levels by the end of the study and 4 of the 7 lost more than 50% of initial levels within the first week of storage.

Conclusions: Minimizing both humidity and temperature in DBS transportation and storage environments is essential to maintaining sample integrity.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Recoveries of inborn disorder markers from dried-blood spots stored for predetermined intervals at 37°C in low-humidity and high-humidity environments
● = low humidity, routine elution ■ = high humidity, routine elution ○ = low humidity, extended elution □ = high humidity, extended elution Biotinidase was not included in the extended elution studies because its routine elution is overnight.
Figure 1
Figure 1. Recoveries of inborn disorder markers from dried-blood spots stored for predetermined intervals at 37°C in low-humidity and high-humidity environments
● = low humidity, routine elution ■ = high humidity, routine elution ○ = low humidity, extended elution □ = high humidity, extended elution Biotinidase was not included in the extended elution studies because its routine elution is overnight.
Figure 1
Figure 1. Recoveries of inborn disorder markers from dried-blood spots stored for predetermined intervals at 37°C in low-humidity and high-humidity environments
● = low humidity, routine elution ■ = high humidity, routine elution ○ = low humidity, extended elution □ = high humidity, extended elution Biotinidase was not included in the extended elution studies because its routine elution is overnight.
Figure 1
Figure 1. Recoveries of inborn disorder markers from dried-blood spots stored for predetermined intervals at 37°C in low-humidity and high-humidity environments
● = low humidity, routine elution ■ = high humidity, routine elution ○ = low humidity, extended elution □ = high humidity, extended elution Biotinidase was not included in the extended elution studies because its routine elution is overnight.
Figure 1
Figure 1. Recoveries of inborn disorder markers from dried-blood spots stored for predetermined intervals at 37°C in low-humidity and high-humidity environments
● = low humidity, routine elution ■ = high humidity, routine elution ○ = low humidity, extended elution □ = high humidity, extended elution Biotinidase was not included in the extended elution studies because its routine elution is overnight.
Figure 1
Figure 1. Recoveries of inborn disorder markers from dried-blood spots stored for predetermined intervals at 37°C in low-humidity and high-humidity environments
● = low humidity, routine elution ■ = high humidity, routine elution ○ = low humidity, extended elution □ = high humidity, extended elution Biotinidase was not included in the extended elution studies because its routine elution is overnight.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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