TY  - JOUR
A1  - Raila, Jens
A1  - Enjalbert, Francis
A1  - Mothes, Ralf
A1  - Hurtienne, Andrea
A1  - Schweigert, Florian J.
T1  - Validation of a new point-of-care assay for determination of ss-carotene concentration in bovine whole blood and plasma
T2  - Veterinary clinical pathology
N2  - Background: beta-Carotene is an important precursor of vitamin A, and is associated with bovine fertility. beta-Carotene concentrations in plasma are used to optimize beta-carotene supplementation in cattle, but measurement requires specialized equipment to separate plasma and extract and measure beta-carotene, either using spectrophotometry or high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).
 Objective: The objective of this study was to validate a new 2-step point-of-care (POC) assay for measuring beta-carotene in whole blood and plasma.
 Methods: beta-carotene concentrations in plasma from 166 cows were measured using HPLC and compared with results obtained using a POC assay, the iCheck-iEx-Carotene test kit. Whole blood samples from 23 of these cattle were also evaluated using the POC assay and compared with HPLC-plasma results from the same 23 animals. The POC assay includes an extraction vial (iEx Carotene) and hand-held photometer (iCheck Carotene).
 Results: Concentrations of beta-carotene in plasma measured using the POC assay ranged from 0.40 to 15.84 mg/L (n = 166). No differences were observed between methods for assay of plasma (mean +/- SD; n = 166): HPLC-plasma 4.23 +/- 2.35 mg/L; POC-plasma 4.49 +/- 2.36 mg/L. Similar good agreement was found when plasma analyzed using HPLC was compared with whole blood analyzed using the POC system (n = 23): HPLC-plasma 3.46 +/- 2.12 mg/L; POC-whole blood 3.67 +/- 2.29 mg/L.
 Conclusions: Concentrations of beta-carotene can be measured in blood and plasma from cattle easily and rapidly using a POC assay, and results are comparable to those obtained by the highly sophisticated HPLC method. Immediate feedback regarding beta-carotene deficiency facilitates rapid and appropriate optimization of beta-carotene supplementation in feed.
KW  - Biomarker
KW  - HPLC
KW  - method comparison
KW  - nutritional supplements
KW  - vitamin A
Y1  - 2012
UR  - https://publishup.uni-potsdam.de/frontdoor/index/index/docId/36076
SN  - 0275-6382
VL  - 41
IS  - 1
SP  - 119
EP  - 122
PB  - Wiley-Blackwell
CY  - Malden
ER  -