Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37988668›Full record

ArticleArchives of endocrinology and metabolism2023

Multiple immunoassay interference in a patient with falsely elevated calcitonin.

Mehmet Cagri Unal, Aslihan Cavunt Bayraktar, Tevfik Uslu, Serkan Yener

Open access · diamondAbstract readCase Reports
In one paragraph

Article in Archives of endocrinology and metabolism, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
1.1field-weighted citation impact, top 23% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 3 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Calcitonin as Biomarker for the Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma.Recent results in cancer research. Fortschritte der Krebsforschung. Progres dans les recherches sur le cancer · 2025
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Mehmet Cagri UnalDokuz Eylul University Faculty of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Izmir, Turkey, munalcagri@gmail.com.
Aslihan Cavunt BayraktarDuzen Laboratories Group, Ankara, Turkey.
Tevfik UsluDokuz Eylul University Faculty of Medicine, Endocrinology Laboratory, Izmir, Turkey.
Serkan YenerDokuz Eylul University Faculty of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Izmir, Turkey.
Dokuz Eylül University · TR

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Calcitonin (CT) is a diagnostic and follow-up marker of medullary thyroid carcinoma. Heterophile antibodies (HAbs) may interfere during immunometric assay measurements and result in falsely high CT levels and different markers. A 50-year-old female patient was referred to our institution for elevated CT levels (3,199 pg/mL [0-11,5]). Physical examination and thyroid ultrasonography show no thyroid nodules. Because of the discrepancy between the clinical picture and the laboratory results, various markers and hormones were examined to determine whether there was any interference in the immunometric assay. Thyroglobulin (Tg) and Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) levels were also found inaccurately elevated. After precipitation with polyethylene glycol, CT, Tg, and ACTH levels markedly decreased, showing macro-aggregates. Also, serial dilutions showed non-linearity in plasma concentrations. Additionally, CT samples were pretreated with a heterophilic blocking tube before measuring, and the CT level decreased to < 0.1 pg/mL, suggesting a HAb presence. Immunoassay interference should be considered when conflicting laboratory data are observed. This may help reduce the amount of unnecessary laboratory and imaging studies and prevent patients from complex diagnostic procedures.

Indexed as

Thyroid NeoplasmsThyroid NoduleAdrenocorticotropic HormoneCalcitoninFemaleHumansImmunoassayMiddle AgedAdrenocorticotropic HormoneCalcitonin

Identifiers

PMID37988668
PMCPMC10916793
OpenAlexW4388921929

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.