Improving the diagnostic reliability of rapidly fluctuating plasma hormone levels by optimized multiple-sampling techniques.
When plasma hormone levels undergo rapid and large oscillations, as in the case of testosterone, FSH, and LH, a single random sample is likely to yield a result within +/-20% of the true mean value only 68%, 54%, and 30% of the time, respectively. Multiple sampling increases reliability, and computer analysis demonstrates that three equally-spaced samples taken at 6 to 18 min intervals provide the optimum schedule, given certain practical considerations. Pooling of the three plasma samples prior to radioimmunoassay avoids an increased laboratory workload.
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001683:Biological Clocks; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011336:Probability; D011863:Radioimmunoassay / Q000379:methods; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*; D013997:Time Factors
D013739:Testosterone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone