Thyroid stimulating hormone stability in serum

Farooq Ahmad Khan; Asma Shaukat; Sameena Ghayur

Author(s)

Farooq Ahmad Khan Department of Pathology and Blood Transfusion Service, PNS Shifa Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan

Asma Shaukat Department of Pathology, Quaid-i-Azam Medical College, Bahawalpur, Pakistan

Sameena Ghayur Combined Military Hospital,Okara,Pakistan

Abstract

Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) is a thermolabile peptide hormone. It is unstable in serum and rapidly degrades when exposed to ambient temperature (temp) for considerable time. The stability of TSH with regard to storage temp, duration and added preservative was evaluated for performing TSH assay. Venous blood was collected in 5 ml plain and aprotinin containing glass tubes from 37 individuals aged 15-56 years. Serum obtained was analysed for TSH at zero time value, then divided into 3 aliquots, sets with and without aprotinin. One set was kept at room temperature (RT), 2nd at 4°C and 3rd at -20°C. TSH was measured after 24 and 72 hours for comparison to the zero time value of TSH. Significant decline in TSH was seen in the samples stored at RT for 72 hours. This effect was abolished when aprotinin, the protease inhibitor, was added to the samples. No significant difference from zero time value was noticed in the aprotinin-treated or untreated sera when kept at RT for 24 hours or when stored at 4°C or -20°C for 72 hours. Thus we concluded that proper storage and addition of aprotinin may significantly reduce TSH degradation.

Publication Details

Page(s) 20-22

DOI DOI not available

Published Journal: Journal of College of Physicians and Surgeons--Pakistan : JCPSP, Volume: 11, Issue: 1, Year: 2001

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Keywords

laboratory, Hormones. Thyrotrophin Thyroid-stimulating hormones. Stabilizing agents. Aprotinin. Diagnosis

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