PSEUDOHYPERPHOSPHATEMIA

Objective: To review instances of spurious elevation of inorganic phos phate measurements due to interference with analytical methods. Method s: Selective literature review. Results: Depending on the method used to measure inorganic phosphate, several factors have been reported to produce spurious elevations, including paraproteinemia, hyperlipidemia , hemolysis, and hyperbilirubinemia. Of these, paraproteinemia is prob ably the commonest. Conclusion: Both clinical biochemists and clinicia ns should be aware of the phenomenon of pseudohyperphosphatemia. Clini cally unexplained persistent hyperphosphatemia should initiate a searc h for potential causes of pseudohypophosphatemia, especially paraprote inemia.