High-performance liquid chromatographic method with fluorescence detection for the determination of total homocyst(e)ine in plasma.

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of total plasma homocyst(e)ine [H(e)] after reduction with sodium tetrahydroborate and precolumn derivatization with o-phthaldialdehyde is described. The analyses, carried out on a reversed-phase C18 column, were based on spectrofluorimetric detection. The sensitivity was 1 pmol per injection and the intra- and inter-assay relative standard deviations were 1.8% and 5%, respectively. The plasma H(e) concentration determined in 40 healthy volunteers (20-60 years old) was 12.4 +/- 2.9 microM (mean +/- S.D.), in good agreement with reference values.