| Interp | PARATHYROID HORMONE IS AN 84 AMINO ACID POLYPEPTIDE. TWO MAJOR
TYPES OF PTH RADIOIMMUNOASSAYS ARE GENERALLY EMPLOYED IN CLINICAL
LABORATORIES. ASSAYS USING ANTISERA WHICH RECOGNIZE PRIMARILY THE
CARBOXYL FRAGMENT AND THE INTACT HORMONE ARE REFERRED TO AS
C-TERMINAL AND MIDMOLECULE ASSAYS. THESE ARE INDICATORS OF
PARATHYROID ACTIVITY IN THE ABSENCE OF RENAL FAILURE OR CANCER.
INTACT AND N-TERMINAL SPECIFIC ASSAYS, WHICH MEASURE ONLY THE
BIOLOGICALLY ACTIVE HORMONE, PROVIDE A MORE PRECISE ASSESSMENT OF
PARATHYROID FUNCTION IN SOME PATIENTS, INCLUDING THOSE WITH RENAL
DISEASES AND THOSE WITH SOME TUMORS. |
