Measurement of acetate in human blood by gas chromatography: effects of sample preparation, feeding, and various diseases.

We measured acetate concentrations in whole blood, serum, and plasma by a modification of a previously described method involving vacuum distillation and gas chromatography. The mean acetate concentration of fresh venous plasma from 27 normal subjects was 51 +/- 5 mumol/L (95% confidence limits ranged from 0 to 103 mumol/L). The acetate concentrations of serum and plasma incubated for 2 h at either 4 degrees C or 27 degrees C were the same. The acetate concentration of whole blood incubated at 27 degrees C was significantly greater than that of blood incubated at 4 degrees C. This change may have resulted from the production of acetate by erythrocytes or from the hydrolysis of acetate esters. Storage of plasma at -20 degrees C for 24 h significantly increased acetate concentrations from 26 +/- 6 mumol/L to 63 +/- 4 mumol/L. After the subjects consumed a standard breakfast, venous plasma acetate concentrations increased from 58 to 97 mumol/L at 30 min. Acetate concentrations in arterial plasma exceeded those in venous plasma. Plasma acetate concentrations were not significantly altered in patients with malignancy or diabetes mellitus, but severe liver disease and severe acidosis were both associated with increased acetate concentrations. These preliminary observations suggest that plasma acetate concentrations may be altered in several disease states.