title: [Quantitative hCG spot test of the serum and peritoneal fluid in intrauterine and tubal pregnancy].
abstract: The concentration of hCG was measured in serum and peritoneal fluid (PF) of women with normal intrauterine pregnancy (34), extrauterine pregnancy (21), and intrauterine abortion (12) by two different methods. A new rapid, quantitative method (Spot-Test; ICON-QSR) which provides the results within 10 minutes was compared to an immunofluorometric method requiring 90 minutes (IFMA). The serum concentration of hCG and the ratio of hCG in serum and in the PF correlated well when determined by both methods (p less than 0.001). Comparable results were also obtained when hCG was measured in the serum of 4 patients with extrauterine pregnancy for a period of 2 to 3 weeks before and after surgery. When hCG was measured by means of the spot test in samples of undiluted serum containing less than 30 IU/l, lower values were obtained as compared to the IFMA. In samples containing more than 200 IU/l, the relationship was reversed. In all cases of intact intrauterine pregnancy, the level of hCG in serum exceeded that in PF, whereas the converse was observed in 19 out of 21 tubal pregnancies. These results show the spot test to be suitable for the rapid and quantitative determination of hCG in serum and the PF, provided that there is no strong hemolysis in the samples. When the concentration of hCG exceeds 300 IU/l, the measurement has to be repeated with diluted samples. Differences in concentrations of less than 20% cannot always be distinguished. Even though the results of the present study are promising, the usefulness of the spot test for routine clinical practise has to be examined in further studies.
authors.affiliation: Abt. für Gyn. Endokrinologie, Universitäts-Frauenklinik, Frankfurt/Main.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Dericks-Tan
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sauther
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Baumann
authors.forename: H D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Taubert
mesh_terms: D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000097:blood*; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000032:analysis*; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D011247:Pregnancy; D011274:Pregnancy, Tubal / Q000097:blood*; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic
vernacular_title: Quantitativer hCG-Spot-Test im Serum und in der Peritonealflüssigkeit bei intrauteriner und tubarer Gravidität.