Automated metabolic profiling of organic acids in human urine. II. Analysis of urine samples from "healthy" adults, sick children, and children with neuroblastoma.

Normalized median, minimum, and maximum values (analytical concentration factors) are given for 134 organic acids in urine of nine adult control subjects, five juvenile control subjects, and five children with neuroblastoma. The organic acids, separated by anion-exchange chromatography, were analyzed by a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer-computer system. Sixty substances in this fraction are positively identified, and, of these, mean absolute concentrations are listed for 20. An additional 81 substances, sought but not found by this method, and 16 other substances found in a subset of these urines by another analytical method, are also listed. Measured retention indices on 5% OV-17 and a selected discriminating ion are given for each of the total of 231 compounds. Results are compared for the three groups of subjects, and the value of normalizing the data is discussed.