Total β-Human Chorionic Gonadotropin Measured in Urine by an Automated Method

Abstract

Methods to quantify human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in serum are well established (1), but automated quantitative urine assays are not readily available. When the validity of point-of-care qualitative urine hCG results are called into question, a rapid quantitative method for urine hCG could be useful. In the present study, we have validated the Abbott AxSYM Total β-hCG (Abbott Laboratories) assay (approved for serum use only) for use in the quantitative determination of urinary concentrations of total β-hCG. Recovery studies were performed by adding hCG (US Pharmacopeia) to urine from premenopausal, nonpregnant females. Recovery studies were carried out in quadruplicate in two separate experiments. Recovery was 99–112% at concentrations of 26–725 IU/L (Table 1⇓ ). Urine protein at concentrations up to 7.4 g/L had no effect on recovery (not shown). Intra- and interassay imprecision was evaluated by adding hCG at three different concentrations into urine …