title: Standardization of hormone determinations.
abstract: Standardization of hormone determinations is important because it simplifies interpretation of results and facilitates the use of common reference values for different assays. Progress in standardization has been achieved through the introduction of more homogeneous hormone standards for peptide and protein hormones. However, many automated methods for determinations of steroid hormones do not provide satisfactory result. Isotope dilution-mass spectrometry (ID-MS) has been used to establish reference methods for steroid hormone determinations and is now increasingly used for routine determinations of steroids and other low molecular weight compounds. Reference methods for protein hormones based on MS are being developed and these promise to improve standardization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry, Biomedicum, Helsinki University, PB 63, FIN-00014 Helsinki, Finland. Electronic address: ulf-hakan.stenman@helsinki.fi.
authors.forename: Ulf-Håkan
authors.initials: UH
authors.lastname: Stenman
mesh_terms: D006728:Hormones / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000592:standards*; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000592:standards*; D012015:Reference Standards; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D006728:Hormones
keywords: hormones; immunoassay; mass spectrometry; reference methods; standardization; standards