Impact of hemolysis on uracilemia in the context of dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase deficiency testing.

This article discusses the impact of hemolysis on uracilemia in the context of dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) deficiency testing. DPD deficiency is a known cause of severe toxicities in patients receiving fluoropyrimidine anticancer drugs. The French Health Authorities recommend screening for DPD deficiency by measuring plasma uracil concentration before administering these drugs. The study found that sample hemolysis can significantly affect uracilemia levels, potentially leading to misinterpretation of DPD activity. The authors recommend careful evaluation of sample hemolysis and requesting a new blood sample if uracilemia is above the threshold value in hemolyzed samples. [Extracted from the article]