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Vol 71, No 6 (2020)
Review paper
Published online: 2020-12-29

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Laboratory interference in the thyroid function test

Katarzyna Paczkowska1, Anna Otlewska1, Olga Loska2, Katarzyna Kolačkov1, Marek Bolanowski1, Jacek Daroszewski1
DOI: 10.5603/EP.a2020.0079
Pubmed: 33378071
Endokrynol Pol 2020;71(6):551-560.

Abstract

Thyroid hormones and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) laboratory tests are commonly used worldwide, and their results have an important influence on decisions about treatment and further diagnostic processes.

Any discrepancies between symptoms and laboratory results or between results of different tests should be closely investigated to avoid misdiagnosis and unnecessary treatment.

Inconsistencies in hormone tests might be a result of physiological changes in hormonal balance, a disease, drug intake, or laboratory interference. Major factors that interfere with thyroid function tests are: heterophilic antibodies, macro TSH, biotin, thyroid hormones autoantibodies, anti-streptavidin, and anti-ruthenium antibodies.

In this paper we discuss the influence of different factors on the procedures of hormonal immunoassays, as well as methods to minimise the risk of false results and misdiagnoses.

Keywords: thyroid function testlaboratory interferenceimmunoassay

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