title: Endocrine labomas.
abstract: Laboratory endocrinology forms an integral part of 21(st) century endocrinology. Perhaps, no other specialty of medicine is as closely associated with laboratory as endocrinology. This review intends to highlight the challenges faced by an endocrinologist before interpreting a hormone assay report. This review by no means is holistic but intends to highlight some of the pitfalls of laboratory endocrinology and arouse further interest in this important but neglected section of endocrinology. Lack of standardization, as well as rigorous implementation is some of the major challenges facing endocrine assays in our country. It is essential to be aware not only of the details of the method of analysis of a hormone, the pre-analytical requisites, but also disease-specific analytical issues to prevent unnecessary concern both for the patient, as well as the treating physician, as well as needless investigations. Problems with interpretation of serum prolactin, thyroglobulin, steroid hormone assays, rennin assay and vitamin-D assay have been highlighted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, IPGMER and SSKM Hospital, 244 AJC Bose Road, Kolkata, India.
authors.forename: Deep
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dutta
authors.forename: Subhankar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chowdhury
keywords: Endocrinology; Labomas; laboratory; pitfalls
references.citation: Pediatr Endocrinol Rev. 2007 Oct;5 Suppl 1:539-54
references.pmid: 18167465
references.citation: J Hypertens. 2008 Apr;26(4):613-21
references.pmid: 18327065
references.citation: N Engl J Med. 2005 Dec 15;353(24):2578-88
references.pmid: 16354894
references.citation: Clin Chim Acta. 2002 Feb;316(1-2):33-41
references.pmid: 11750272
references.citation: Circulation. 1997 Mar 18;95(6):1471-8
references.pmid: 9118515
references.citation: Clin Chem. 2009 May;55(5):867-77
references.pmid: 19264850
references.citation: Clin Immunol Immunopathol. 1985 Nov;37(2):154-62
references.pmid: 3930112
references.citation: Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2001 Mar;15(1):1-16
references.pmid: 11469808
references.citation: J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2004 Feb;89(2):525-33
references.pmid: 14764757
references.citation: Ann Clin Biochem. 1997 May;34 ( Pt 3):252-8
references.pmid: 9158821
references.citation: Clin Chem. 1997 Jul;43(7):1243-4
references.pmid: 9216466
references.citation: Mol Nutr Food Res. 2010 Aug;54(8):1062-71
references.pmid: 20397196
references.citation: Horm Res. 2000;53(1):16-9
references.pmid: 10965215
references.citation: Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 1995 Dec;24(4):841-63
references.pmid: 8608781
references.citation: Trends Endocrinol Metab. 2005 Apr;16(3):86-91
references.pmid: 15808804