Determination of polyols in serum by selected ion monitoring.

We used gas chromatography-chemical ionization mass spectrometry with selected ion monitoring of the (M-59)+ ions to determine polyols (as their peracetyl derivatives) in serum. The internal standard was 2-deoxygalactitol. Mean (and SD) polyol concentrations (mg/L) in 33 normal sera were: erythritol 0.45 (0.14), threitol 0.20 (0.06), adonitol 0.06 (0.02), arabinitol 0.37 (0.12), xylitol 0.05 (0.02), mannitol 0.41 (0.45), galactitol 0.15 (0.11), sorbitol 0.16 (0.11). Arabinitol determined in the same 33 normal sera by trimethylsilylation was 0.39 (0.13) mg/L. In 32 samples from cancer patients with normal creatinine, all polyol concentrations were in the normal range except for seven increased erythritol and one increased threitol concentrations. In all six patients with renal dysfunction we found increased erythritol and arabinitol, and increased threitol and mannitol in four of the six. Initial results showed that only arabinitol concentrations increased in invasive candidiasis.