Please note:
Reducing substance - Urine- effective 01/11/16
This test is no longer offered at Labplus.
Measurement of reducing substances for detecting glycosuria is superseded by specific measurement of urine glucose. Multiple medications can also cause false positive colour reaction.
While galactose and fructose can also give positive results, urine reducing substances is not a reliable screening test.
The preferred galactosaemia screen uses the traditional dried blood spot (Guthrie card) method used for neonatal samples (almost all patients born in New Zealand since will have already had a neonatal galactosaemia screen performed).-
refer to link below for more details.
Urine reducing substance testing is not appropriate for investigation of rare inborn errors of fructose metabolism (e.g. essential fructosuria, hereditary fructose intolerance).
Other more specific investigations can be performed where clinical suspicion is high.
Prior authorisation by a metabolic specialist or chemical pathologist is required.
(Note: the Guthrie test for galactosaemia does not detect fructose).
If a Guthrie card is not available at collection point, a heparin blood sample should be used and can be sent to the biochemical genetics section at LabPlus where the blood can be ?spotted? onto filter paper correctly.
The sample should preferably arrive within 1 day.
Appropriate clinical justification should be provided.
Subsequent confirmation by specific enzyme measurement can be performed.
Galactosemia
Assay Method
Contact Information
Emails to
chemicalpathologist@adhb.govt.nz
will receive priority attention from the on-call chemical pathologist.
If the query concerns a specific patient please include the NHI number in your email.
If email is not a suitable option, please contact the on-call chemical pathologist via
Lablink (Auckland City Hospital ext. 22000 or 09-3078995).
Individual chemical pathologists may be contacted but will not be available at all times.
After-hours
: contact
Lablink (Auckland City Hospital ext. 22000 or 09-3078995) or hospital operator for on duty staff after hours.
Dr Samarina Musaad
(Clinical Lead)
:
SamarinaM@adhb.govt.nz
ext. 22402
Dr Cam Kyle:
CampbellK@adhb.govt.nz
ext 22052
Dr Weldon Chiu:
WeldonC@adhb.govt.nz
ext. 23427
Dr Campbell Heron:
CHeron@adhb.govt.nz
ext. 23427
Dr Sakunthala Jayasinghe:
Sakunthala@adhb.govt.nz
ext. 23427