Evaluation of a particle-enhanced turbidimetric immunoassay for the measurement of ferritin: application to patients participating in an autologous blood transfusion program.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate a turbidimetric immunoassay for the measurement of ferritin, and to assay this method in a group of patients undergoing an autologous blood transfusion program.


METHODS
We used an ILab 900 analyzer. This instrument automates a particle-enhanced immunoturbidimetric assay with an analysis time of 9 min. This technique was compared with a microparticle immunoassay. The turbidimetric assay was used to measure ferritin in a group of 30 patients undergoing an autologous blood transfusion program.


RESULTS
The assay was linear in the range 3-1400 microg/L (r = 0.9999). The intra- and inter-assay imprecision (CV) at 20, 97 and 469 microg/L were <3.0 and <5.0%, respectively. Recovery was 88. 7 to 97.4%. The detection limit was 3 microg/L. Hemoglobin (</=4 g/L), mild hyperbilirubilinemia (bilirubin </=50 micromol/L), triglycerides (</=10 mmol/L) and myeloma paraproteins did not interfere with the assay. The assay showed good correlation with a microparticle enzymoimmunoassay (r = 0.994) with a mean difference between methods of -6 +/- 16 microg/L. This method was sensitive, accurate, and fast enough for an efficient follow-up of autologous blood transfusion patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The new automated serum assay for ferritin is an attractive alternative that avoids the need for dedicated instrumentation.
Gómez
F
F
Centre de Recerca Biomèdica and Unitat de Medicina Transfusional, Hospital Universitari de Sant Joan, Carrer Sant Joan s/n, 43201-Reus, Catalunya, Spain.
Simó
J M
JM
Camps
J
J
Clivillé
X
X
Bertran
N
N
Ferré
N
N
Bofill
C
C
Joven
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001804:Blood Transfusion, Autologous; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009391:Nephelometry and Turbidimetry / Q000379:methods*; D012016:Reference Values
D005293:Ferritins