Abstract:
Relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S) is a condition that arises from persistent low energy availability (LEA), which affects the hypothalamic-pituitary axis and results in alterations of several hormones in both male and female athletes. As frequent blood hormone status determinations using venipuncture are rare in sports practice, microsampling offers promising possibilities for preventing and assessing RED-S. Therefore, this study aimed at developing a liquid chromatography-high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS/MS) method for quantifying relevant steroids and thyroid hormones in 30 μL of capillary blood obtained using Mitra® devices with volumetric absorptive microsampling technology (VAMS®). The results of the study showed that all validation criteria were met, including a storage stability of more than 28 days in a frozen state (-18 °C) and 14 days at room temperature (20 °C). The validated assay provided precise (<12%) and accurate (<13%) results for all the target analytes. Furthermore, as a proof of concept, autonomously collected VAMS® samples from 50 female and male, healthy, active adults were analyzed. The sensitivity of all analytes was adequate to quantify the decreased hormone concentrations in the RED-S state, as all authentic samples could be measured accordingly. These findings suggest that self-collected VAMS® samples offer a practical opportunity for regular hormone measurements in athletes and can be used for early RED-S assessment and progress monitoring during RED-S recovery.
摘要:
运动中的相对能量不足(RED-S)是一种由持续的低能量可用性(LEA)引起的疾病,这会影响下丘脑-垂体轴,并导致男女运动员中几种激素的改变。由于在运动实践中很少使用静脉穿刺进行频繁的血液激素状态测定,微量采样为预防和评估RED-S提供了有希望的可能性。因此,这项研究旨在开发一种液相色谱-高分辨率串联质谱(LC-HRMS/MS)方法,用于定量使用具有容量吸收微量采样技术(VAMS®)的Mitra®设备获得的30μL毛细血管血液中的相关类固醇和甲状腺激素。研究结果表明,所有验证标准均得到满足,包括在冷冻状态(-18°C)下超过28天和在室温(20°C)下超过14天的储存稳定性。经验证的测定提供了所有目标分析物的精确(<12%)和准确(<13%)结果。此外,作为概念的证明,从50名女性和男性中自主收集VAMS®样本,健康,对活跃的成年人进行了分析。所有分析物的灵敏度足以量化RED-S状态下降低的激素浓度,因为所有真实样品都可以相应地测量。这些发现表明,自我收集的VAMS®样品为运动员的常规激素测量提供了一个实用的机会,可用于RED-S恢复期间的早期RED-S评估和进展监测。