Specimen Collection
Transport frozen.
Do not freeze-dry as trimethylamine is volatile.
Suggested Pre-Testing Requirements: 100-200g fish, liver or kidney eaten at previous evening meal. Early morning urine after special evening meal.
Trimethylamine, urine
Not performed at LabPlus. Specimens sent away to Christchurch Hospital for analysis
2 mL Adult Urine (Random)
Reference Intervals
Reference intervals will be provided with results.
Turnaround Time: Between 4 weeks and 6 weeks
Diagnostic Use and Interpretation
The trimethylamine concentration in a random urine specimen will be increased in most patients with trimethylaminuria (fish odour syndrome). Some affected people may have low amine levels because they have excluded problem foods from their diet. They can be encouraged to eat fish, eggs and other foods which make their problem worse, before their urine is collected.
There is work in progress on a genetic test for this syndrome at The Murdoch Institute at the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne (phone 0061 3 93455522) and the Department of Biochemical Genetics, Montreal Children's Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada (phone 514 934 4400).
Contact Information
For results use ward computer or phone Lablink: 5995 or (09) 307-8995 or 0800 522 758.