Analytical approach for the determination of steroid profile of humans by gas chromatography isotope ratio mass spectrometry aimed at distinguishing between endogenous and exogenous steroids.

The contamination of commonly used supplements by unknown steroids as well as their metabolites (parent compounds) become a challenge for the analytical laboratories. Although the determination of steroids profile is not trivial because of the complex matrix and low concentration of single compound, one of the most difficult current problem is to distinguish, during analytical procedure, endogenous androgens such as testosterone, dehydrotestosterone or dehydroepiandrosterone from their synthetic equivalents. The aim of this work was to develop and validate an analytical procedure for determination of the steroid profile in human urine by gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC/C/IRMS) toward distinguishing between endogenous and exogenous steroids.

Detection of TT virus (TTV) in children and youth with chronic viral hepatitis B and C.

Background: TTV is a newly discovered virus and little is known about the frequency of TTV infection in children in Poland. The aim of our study was to investigate the frequency of TTV infection in children with chronic viral hepatitis B and C.

Material/methods: Two patient groups were tested: 74 patients with chronic hepatitis B aged 4 to 20 years, and 13 patients with chronic hepatitis C aged 10 to 18 years.