An office semiquantitative serum human chorionic gonadotropin determination.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) concentration, established by a standard serum quantitative hCG fluorescent immunoassay and a semiquantitative serum determination.

DESIGN

Patients were asked to give two serum samples early in pregnancy to establish the accuracy of a semiquantitative serum hCG test in diluted and undiluted serum samples.

SETTING

In a laboratory setting, two serum samples were determined; one sample was submitted for standard serum hCG radioimmunoassay, and the other was tested for hCG by the 25 IU Tandem ICON Assay (Hybritech, Liege, Belgium) in diluted and undiluted serum samples.

PARTICIPANTS

Sixteen patients supposed to be pregnant.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Within dilutional zones, the results of a semiquantitative hCG test were compared with a known standard quantitative serum hCG immunoassay measurements.

RESULT: The semiquantitative hCG ranges of serum hCG compare fairly well with an accurate standard quantitative serum hCG immunoassay.

CONCLUSION

The determination of a serum hCG range compares well with the standard quantitative serum hCG immunoassay (First International Reference Preparation) and can be completed within 15 minutes. This office semiquantitative serum hCG determination proved to be a quick and reliable test.