Abstract
Introduction. Macroprolactinemia is one of the common causes of hyperprolactinemia, especially in cases where standard routine commercial immunometric assays are used for prolactin level measurement. Two forms of prolactin, inactive dimeric prolactin (50 - 60 kDa) and a low-activity tetramer (molecular weight above 150 kDa), contribute to this condition. The relatively low incidence of symptoms in macroprolactinemia patients has necessitated a relatively simple method to detect large, biologically inactive prolactin molecules, such as polyethylene glycol precipitation method. The aim of this study was to compare the precipitation method using polyethylene glycol dissolved in phosphate buffered saline in relation to polyethylene glycol dissolved in water. Material and Methods. This study included 82 patients who visited the Center of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical center of Vojvodina, to determine serum prolactin levels. The obtained serum samples were divided into two aliquots. The first aliquot was frozen and stored at - 20?C and the other was immediately analyzed. Aqueous solution was added to one aliquot and polyethylene glycol Merck 6000 to the other. All serum and supernatant samples were analyzed using the automated Abbott Architect i2000sr immunoassay. Recovery values were calculated as the ratio of double values of free prolactin and total prolactin concentration, expressed as a percentage. Results. The prolactin concentrations and calculated recovery values were lowest in fresh supernatant prolactin treated with phosphate buffered saline. Statistical analysis showed no significant difference in the calculated recovery values obtained by precipitation of fresh and frozen sera using polyethylene glycol dissolved in phosphate buffered saline (p = 0.893). Conclusion. Precipitation using polyethylene glycol dissolved in phosphate buffered saline is a more reliable method for laboratory detection of macroprolactinemia compared to polyethylene glycol dissolved in water.
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