Reference Values for Urinary HMMA, HVA, Noradrenaline, Adrenaline, and Dopamine Excretion in Children Using Random Urine Samples and HPLC with Electrochemical Detection

Abstract

Random urine samples were collected from 305 children aged from birth to 14 years and the values of hydroxymethoxymandelic acid, homovanillic acid, noradrenaline, adrenaline, and dopamine were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. The results were reported relative to the urinary creatinine concentration and the values declined progressively with increasing age for each analyte with the exception of adrenaline. The results for each age group were not normally distributed and all values except outliers were retained in determining the upper reference limits.