Vanillylmandelic Acid (VMA) and Homovanillic Acid (HVA), Urine

Vanillylmandelic Acid (VMA) and Homovanillic Acid (HVA), Urine Print

Test Mnemonic

UVAHA

CPT Codes

83150 - QTY (1)
84585 - QTY (1)

Aliases

VMA & HVA

Includes

VMA ratio to Creatinine
HVA ratio to Creatinine
Creatinine, Urine per volume
VMA and HMA Interpretation
HVA per volume
VMA per volume
Creatinine, Urine per 24 hours
VMA per 24 hours
HVA per 24 hours

Performing Laboratory

ARUP

Specimen Requirements

Volume	Type	Container	Collect Temperature	Transport Temperature	Special Instructions
4 mL	Urine, 24-hour (well-mixed)	Clean container	Refrigerate during collection.	Refrigerated	Abstain from medications 72 hours prior to collection

Alternate Specimen Requirements

Volume	Type	Container	Collect Temperature	Transport Temperature	Special Instructions
4 mL	Urine, random	Clean container		Refrigerated	Abstain from medications 72 hours prior to collection

Minimum Specimen Requirements

Volume	Type	Container	Collect Temperature	Transport Temperature	Special Instructions
1 mL

Stability

Environmental Condition	Description
Ambient	Unacceptable
Refrigerated	1 week
Frozen	2 weeks

Days Performed

Sun, Tue - Sat

Turnaround Time

2 - 6 days

Methodology

Name	Description
High Performance Liquid Chromatography/Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC/MS/MS)

Reference Range

HVA, Urine
Sex	Age From	Age To	Type	Range	Range Unit
	18 Years	99 Years	Normal	0.0 - 15.0	mg/d
HVA, Urine mg/g CRT
Sex	Age From	Age To	Type	Range	Range Unit
	Years	2 Years	Normal	0 - 42	mg/g crt
	3 Years	5 Years	Normal	0 - 22	mg/g crt
	6 Years	17 Years	Normal	0 - 15	mg/g crt
	18 Years	99 Years	Normal	0 - 8	mg/g crt
VMA, Urine
Sex	Age From	Age To	Type	Range	Range Unit
	18 Years	99 Years	Normal	0.0 - 7.0	mg/d
VMA, Urine mg/g CRT
Sex	Age From	Age To	Type	Range	Range Unit
	Years	2 Years	Normal	0 - 27	mcg/g crt
	3 Years	5 Years	Normal	0 - 13	mcg/g crt
	6 Years	17 Years	Normal	0 - 9	mcg/g crt
	18 Years	99 Years	Normal	0 - 6	mcg/g crt

Special Info

Abstain from medications 72 hours prior to collection. This test is New York DOH approved.

Clinical Info

Vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) and homovanillic acid (HVA) results are expressed as a ratio to creatinine excretion (mg/g cr). VMA and HVA mass per day (mg/d) is not reported on specimens from patients younger than 18 years of age, for random specimens, urine collection periods other than 24 hours, or for urine volumes less than 400 mL/d. No reference interval is available for results reported in units of mg/L. Moderately elevated HVA (homovanillic acid) and VMA (vanillylmandelic acid) can be caused by a variety of factors such as essential hypertension, intense anxiety, intense physical exercise, and numerous drug interactions (including some over-the-counter medications and herbal products). Medications that may interfere with catecholamines and their metabolites include amphetamines and amphetamine-like compounds, appetite suppresants, bromocriptine, buspirone, caffeine, chlorpromazine, clonidine, disulfiram, diuretics (in doses sufficient enough to deplete sodium), epinephrine, glucagon, guanethidine, histamine, hydrazine derivatives, imipramine, levodopa (L-dopa, Sinemetlithium), MAO inhibitors, melatonin, methyldopa (Aldometmorphine), nitroglycerin, nose drops, propafenone (Rythmol), radiographic agents, rauwolfia alkaloids (Reserpine), tricyclic antidepressants, and vasodilators. The effect of some drugs on catecholamine metabolite results may not be predictable.