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Heterophilic Antibodies Interfering With Radioimmunoassay: Title and subTitle BreakA False-Positive Pregnancy Test FREE

Adrian O. Vladutiu, MD, PhD; Joan M. Sulewski, MD; Kathleen A. Pudlak; Carol G. Stull, N MS
[+] Author Affiliations

Reprint requests to Department of Pathology, State University of New York, 100 High St, Buffalo, NY 14203 (Dr Vladutiu).


JAMA. 1982;248(19):2489-2490. doi:10.1001/jama.1982.03330190053031
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A young woman with amenorrhea had a consistently positive pregnancy test result (serum radioimmunoassay measurement of β-human chorionic gonadotropin hormone). No fetal or placental tissue was found after uterine curettage and exploratory laparotomy. The false-positive pregnancy test result was due to heterophilic antibovine and antigoat antibodies in the patient's serum. These antibodies interfered with radioimmunoassays using goat antibodies. This case shows that serum heterophilic antibodies can interfere with immunoassays and result in unnecessary diagnostic procedures and/or unnecessary treatment.

(JAMA 1982;248:2489-2490)

REFERENCES

Theophilopoulos AN, Wilson CB, Dixon FJ:  The Raji cell radioimmunoassay for detecting immune complexes in human sera . J Clin Invest 1976;;57:169-182.
Regester RF, Painter P:  False-positive radioimmunoassay pregnancy test in nephrotic syndrome . JAMA 1981;;246:1337-1338.
Langone JJ: 125 I protein A: A tracer for general use in immunoassay . J Immunol Methods 1978;;24:269-285.
Ammann A, Hong R:  Anti-antiserum antibody as a cause of double precipitin rings in immunoglobulin quantitation and its relation to milk precipitins . J Immunol 1971;;106:567-569.
Delvie M, Cambiaso CL, Masson PL:  Circulating immune complexes in infants fed on cow's milk . Nature 1978;;272:632.
Hunter WM, Budd PS:  Circulating antibodies to ovine and bovine immunoglobulin in healthy subjects: A hazard for immunoassays . Lancet 1980;;2:1136.
Gendrel D, Feinstein MC, Grenier J, et al:  Falsely elevated serum thyrotropin (TSH) in newborn infants: Transfer from mothers to infants of a factor interfering in the TSH radioimmunoassay . J Clin Endocrinol Metabol 1981;;52:62-65.
Neot Y, Luft BJ, Remington JS:  False-positive serological tests in heart transplant recipients . Lancet 1981;;2:590-591.
Czernichow P, Vandalem JL, Hennen G:  Transient neonatal hyperthyrotropinemia: A factitious syndrome due to the presence of heterophilic antibodies in the plasma of infants and their mothers . J Clin Endocrinol Metabol 1981;;53:387-393.
Howanitz PJ, Howanitz JH, Lamberson HV, et al:  Incidence and mechanism of spurious increases in serum thyrotropin . Clin Chem 1982;; 28:427-431.

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Theophilopoulos AN, Wilson CB, Dixon FJ:  The Raji cell radioimmunoassay for detecting immune complexes in human sera . J Clin Invest 1976;;57:169-182.
Regester RF, Painter P:  False-positive radioimmunoassay pregnancy test in nephrotic syndrome . JAMA 1981;;246:1337-1338.
Langone JJ: 125 I protein A: A tracer for general use in immunoassay . J Immunol Methods 1978;;24:269-285.
Ammann A, Hong R:  Anti-antiserum antibody as a cause of double precipitin rings in immunoglobulin quantitation and its relation to milk precipitins . J Immunol 1971;;106:567-569.
Delvie M, Cambiaso CL, Masson PL:  Circulating immune complexes in infants fed on cow's milk . Nature 1978;;272:632.
Hunter WM, Budd PS:  Circulating antibodies to ovine and bovine immunoglobulin in healthy subjects: A hazard for immunoassays . Lancet 1980;;2:1136.
Gendrel D, Feinstein MC, Grenier J, et al:  Falsely elevated serum thyrotropin (TSH) in newborn infants: Transfer from mothers to infants of a factor interfering in the TSH radioimmunoassay . J Clin Endocrinol Metabol 1981;;52:62-65.
Neot Y, Luft BJ, Remington JS:  False-positive serological tests in heart transplant recipients . Lancet 1981;;2:590-591.
Czernichow P, Vandalem JL, Hennen G:  Transient neonatal hyperthyrotropinemia: A factitious syndrome due to the presence of heterophilic antibodies in the plasma of infants and their mothers . J Clin Endocrinol Metabol 1981;;53:387-393.
Howanitz PJ, Howanitz JH, Lamberson HV, et al:  Incidence and mechanism of spurious increases in serum thyrotropin . Clin Chem 1982;; 28:427-431.
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