Improved extraction procedure and RIA for determination of arginine8-vasopressin in plasma: role of premeasurement sample treatment and reference values in children.

We optimized an RIA for measurement of arginine8-vasopressin (AVP) in plasma by use of 100-mg Isolute C18 columns for extraction, addition of a preincubation step, and use of maximal dilution of a commercially available antiserum. The detection limit was 0.06 ng/L when 0.5 mL of acidified plasma was extracted. The within- and between-run CVs (n = 16) at physiological concentrations were 5.8-10. 2% and 6.5-11.7%, respectively. Prolonged storage of blood at 25 degreesC, but not at 4 degreesC, led to a significant increase in measured plasma AVP concentrations. When plasma samples were prepared at several centrifugation speeds, plasma AVP was significantly correlated with the platelet count (r = 0.899; P <0. 001). This emphasizes the need for careful sample preparation to avoid contamination of plasma with platelet-bound AVP. Basal plasma AVP in 203 children and adolescents (105 males and 98 females; ages, 1 day to 18 years) averaged 1.1 +/- 0.6 ng/L. There was no significant difference between males and females and no correlation with age. In 16 healthy adult controls, plasma AVP averaged 1.0 +/- 0.5 ng/L.