Plasma catecholamines in hypertension and pheochromocytoma determined using ion-pair reversed-phase chromatography with amperometric detection: investigation of the separation mechanism and clinical methodology.

The retention behavior of catecholamines (CAs) in ion-pair reversed-phase chromatography is examined. From the effects of pH, ionic strength and a secondary ion-pairing reagent (citric acid), under our chromatographic conditions, the retention behavior can be explained by assuming a mixed ion-exchange mechanism with octyl sulfate and citrate, on the column and in the mobile phase, respectively. The developed separation method was applied to the analysis of CAs in plasma samples purified by alumina adsorption and detected amperometrically. This method provides the basis for the determination of the short-term magnitude of CA response to physical and physiological interventions, as well as the baseline CA levels in essential hypertension and pheochromocytoma. The results seen for norepinephrine and epinephrine are consistent with eh funcitonal roles of these CAs as hormones or peripheral transmitters.