AUTOMATED LATEX AGGLUTINATION IMMUNOASSAY OF SERUM FERRITIN WITH A CENTRIFUGAL ANALYZER

A considerable demand for convenient, rapid, inexpensive assays of fer ritin in serum has been generated in recent years in hospital laborato ries and blood banks. We describe a simple and rapid particle-enhanced turbidimetric immunoassay suitable for routine application in a Monar ch 2000 centrifugal analyzer with commercially available reagents. Thi s fully automated assay (y) requires no pretreatment of Sample, and co rrelation with a two-step sandwich ELISA (x) is excellent (y = 1.018x + 0.397, S-yx = 0.027). The analytical range extends from 5 to 900 mu g/L. Intraassay imprecision (CV) ranged from 1.1% to 5% for various sp ecimen concentrations. Interassay imprecision ranged from 2.2% for abo ve-normal concentrations (755 mu g/L) to 9.5% for low concentrations ( 39 mu g/L). No specimen-related carryover was detected. The method has been useful in our predeposit autologous blood transfusion program fo r rapid assessment of iron status in patients undergoing repeated phle botomies.