ODP479 Equilibrium Dialysis ID-LC/MS/MS Procedure for Routine Measurement of Free Thyroxine in Serum

Free thyroxine (FT4) test is essential for diagnosis of thyroid diseases. Most FT4 tests used in patient care are immunoassays (IAs). However, concerns about the accuracy of FT4 IAs have been raised in the clinical laboratory community. Reference measurement procedure (RMP) for FT4 based on well-defined equilibrium dialysis (ED) of serum has been established and are well recognized. While FT4 RMP is highly accurate and precise, it is not intended for routine clinical use. Our aim is to develop an ED-based FT4 assay that is traceable to the RMP and suitable for routine measurements such as investigations in epidemiologic studies. The described assay is based on ED-LC-MS/MS. FT4 in serum was isolated from protein-bound T4 in serum according to the CLSI C45-A guideline. FT4 levels achieved equilibrium in a commercially available micro-ED plate after 18 hours. The dialysate was collected and spiked with internal standard (13 C 6 -T4). The IRMM-468 certified primary reference material (JRC, Belgium) of T4 was used for assay calibration. FT4 in dialysate was extracted with ISOLUTE-96-well C18 SPE plates (Biotage) before LC-MS/MS analysis. T4 could be resolved from Triiodothyronine (T3), reverse triiodothyronine (rT3), and other interferences in the dialysate on a C18 UPLC column with an elution time of less than 8 min. Selective reaction monitoring in positive electrospray ionization mode was used for detection. The measuring range covered 1-100 pg/mL of FT4. The assay sensitivity allowed detection of 0.5 pg/mL FT4, which is sufficient for detection of FT4 in normal and hypothyroid patient samples. The difference of this method to the CDC FT4 RMP was within ±5%. The imprecision of the routine assay, evaluated over four different days, was less than 10% CV. The slopes of calibration curves in dialysate matrix and water were comparable with each other indicating no significant matrix effect on FT4 quantification. The use of micro-ED plates in combination with an automated liquid handling system allows for effective automation of the procedure. The stability of T4 calibrator stock and working solutions were confirmed at various conditions. Currently, a comprehensive comparison study is underway between the newly developed routine method and the CDC FT4 RMP. The described routine FT4 assay can significantly improve throughput. The sensitivity, precision, and accuracy are suitable for routine FT4 measurements in clinical laboratories and conducting large epidemiologic studies. Applying this FT4 routine method to generate population data will support the use of standardized FT4 measurements and to address data needs on FT4 in general population. Presentation: No date and time listed