title: Multicenter evaluation of a rapid electrochemiluminescent adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) immunoassay.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Measuring plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) is a key step in the differential diagnosis of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  The recently developed electrochemiluminescence Elecsys ACTH immunoassay (Roche Diagnostics, Mannheim, Germany) was evaluated at six clinical laboratories on the Modular E170 and/or the Elecsys 2010 (Roche Diagnostics) immunoanalysers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The within-run and between-run imprecision was <or=1.9% and <or=5%, respectively (concentration level 12-971 ng/L). Functional sensitivity was at least 1.8 ng/L. The Elecsys assay correlated well with two established ACTH immunoradiometric assays (Brahms ACTH RIA and Nichols ACTH IRMA) and with the Immulite ACTH assay. Reference values for the Elecsys ACTH assay, determined as the percentile 5 to 95 (2.5 to 97.5) interval in 354 adults without disorder with impact on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, were between 7.2 and 63 ng/L (5.6 and 76 ng/L). The clinical sensitivity of the Elecsys ACTH assay in 57 patients with confirmed disorders of the pituitary-adrenal axis was comparable to the established Brahms ACTH assay.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The non-isotopic Elecsys ACTH immunoassay provides precision and reliability in combination with reduced turnaround time.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Radioimmunology, Dutch-speaking Free University of Brussels (AZ-VUB), Laarbeeklaan 101, B-1090 Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Inge
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Verschraegen
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Anckaert
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schiettecatte
authors.forename: Marleen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mees
authors.forename: Adolfo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garrido
authors.forename: Derik
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hermsen
authors.forename: Eef G W M
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Lentjes
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Liebert
authors.forename: Heinz-Jürgen
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Roth
authors.forename: Gudrun
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stamminger
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Smitz
mesh_terms: D000307:Adrenal Gland Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000032:analysis*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008163:Luminescent Measurements / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010900:Pituitary Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D012016:Reference Values; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone