A simplified and rapid test for acetylator phenotyping by use of the peak height ratio of two urinary caffeine metabolites
el-Yazigi, A.; Chaleby, K.; Martin, C.R.
Clinical Chemistry 35(5): 848-851
1989
ISSN/ISBN: 0009-9147 PMID: 2566399 Document Number: 327163
We describe a simplified liquid-chromatographic test in which acetylator phenotype is determined by measuring the peak height ratio of two urinary caffeine metabolites, 5-acetylamino-6-formylamino-3-methyluracil and 1-methylxanthine. We applied this test to determine the acetylator phenotypes of 52 subjects who regularly drink coffee, tea, or caffeinated beverages. Also, we determined the acetylator phenotypes of these subjects according to a well-established sulfasalazine test, which yielded identical results. We established the reproductibility of the described test by determining the acetylator phenotypes of 10 additional subjects on two different days separated by a period of two to five weeks. Of the 52 subjects examined by both tests, 40 (76.9%) were classified as slow acetylators, which agrees well with the percentage reported elsewhere for 297 similar subjects from the Saudi population.