Journal
CLINICAL CHEMISTRY AND LABORATORY MEDICINE
Volume 60, Issue 1, Pages 60-65Publisher
WALTER DE GRUYTER GMBH
DOI: 10.1515/cclm-2021-0818
Keywords
adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH); degra-dation; hormone; plasma; preanalytical; stability
Categories
Funding
- Abbott Laboratories
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This study investigated the long-term storage stability of corticotropin in plasma. The results showed that corticotropin levels remained stable when stored at -20 degrees C for one and a half years, but a significant reduction was observed in patient samples stored for up to 6 years at the same temperature.
Objectives: Corticotropin is notorious for its instability. Whereas several studies have investigated its short-term stability in plasma following venous blood sampling, studies on long-term stability are lacking. Here we investigated the long-term storage stability of corticotropin in ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid containing plasma. Methods: Specimens from healthy volunteers (neat, spiked) were stored in polypropylene microcentrifuge tubes with socket screw-caps at -20 degrees C and -70 degrees C for up to one and a half years. Corticotropin in plasma was measured using an Abbott research only immunoassay. Separately, specimens from patients were collected during diagnostic routine testing and stored in polystyrene tubes with push-caps at -20 degrees C for up to 6 years. In these samples corticotropin hormone was measured using the Diasorin corticotropin immunoassay. Results: Storage of specimens at -20 degrees C or -70 degrees C for up to one and a half years showed minimal changes (<11%) in corticotropin levels, while storage of patient samples at -20 degrees C for up to 6 years showed a significant (54%) reduction in corticotropin levels. Conclusions: Corticotropin levels are stable in plasma when stored at -20 degrees C for one and a half years using the Abbott research only assay, but with longer storage time a significant reduction in corticotropin levels can be expected. Once specimens are stored for future corticotropin measurements, one should consider storage time, storage temperature and assay differences.
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