Sign in →

Test Code MSUSC Branched-Chain Amino Acids, Self-Collect, Blood Spot


Necessary Information


Patient's street address, city, state, ZIP (postal) code, country, and home phone are required (post-office [PO] boxes are not acceptable delivery locations).



Specimen Required


Supplies: Blood Spot Collection-Self Collect (T858)

Container/Tube: Blood Spot Self Collection Card

Specimen Volume: 2 Blood spots

Collection Instructions:

1. Order test each time the patient is to collect a dried blood specimen at home and mail the specimen directly to Mayo Clinic Laboratories.

2. Order should be placed a minimum of 3 days prior to desired date of collection.

3. Enter patient's address information for each order created, including street address (post-office [PO] boxes are not acceptable delivery locations), city, state abbreviation, ZIP (postal) code, country, and home phone number.

4. For each order, the Blood Spot Collection-Self Collect kit will be mailed directly to the patient for self-collection (delivery to a PO box will not occur).

5. For more information on how to collect blood spots, see the following:

-How to Collect Dried Blood Spot Samples via fingerstick.

-Blood Spot Collection Instructions-Fingerstick

-Blood Spot Collection Instructions-Fingerstick-Spanish


Useful For

Monitoring patients with maple syrup urine disease using specimens collected at home

Method Name

Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)

Portions of this test are covered by patents held by Quest Diagnostics

Reporting Name

Branched-Chain Amino Acids, SC, BS

Specimen Type

Whole blood

Specimen Minimum Volume

1 Blood spot

Specimen Stability Information

Specimen Type Temperature Time Special Container
Whole blood Ambient (preferred) 59 days FILTER PAPER
  Frozen  59 days FILTER PAPER
  Refrigerated  59 days FILTER PAPER

Reject Due To

Blood spot specimen that shows serum rings or has multiple layers Reject

Clinical Information

Maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) is an inborn error of metabolism caused by the deficiency of the branched-chain-ketoacid dehydrogenase (BCKDH) complex. The BCKDH complex is involved in the metabolism of the branched-chain amino acids (BCAA): isoleucine (Ile), leucine (Leu), and valine (Val). Classic MSUD presents in the neonate with feeding intolerance, failure to thrive, vomiting, lethargy, and maple-syrup odor to urine and cerumen. If untreated, it progresses to irreversible intellectual disability, hyperactivity, failure to thrive, seizures, coma, cerebral edema, and possibly death.

 

Treatment of MSUD aims to normalize the concentration of BCAA by dietary restriction of these amino acids. BCAA are essential amino acids that require frequent adjustment of the dietary treatment. Dietary monitoring is accomplished by regular determination of BCAA and Allo-Ile concentrations.

Reference Values

Allo-isoleucine: <2 nmol/mL

Leucine: 35-215 nmol/mL

Isoleucine: 13-130 nmol/mL

Valine: 51-325 nmol/mL

Day(s) Performed

Monday through Friday

Report Available

2 to 4 days

Performing Laboratory

Mayo Clinic Laboratories in Rochester

Test Classification

This test was developed and its performance characteristics determined by Mayo Clinic in a manner consistent with CLIA requirements. It has not been cleared or approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.

CPT Code Information

0381U