False positive hCG testing and upper urinary tract infection.

• Tác giả: Joris R Delanghe, Kris Gevaert, Sylvie Mulliez, Valerie Pede, Marijn M Speeckaert, Danielle Vandenweghe, Hilde Vanpoucke
• Ngôn ngữ: eng
• Thông tin xuất bản: Germany : Hormone molecular biology and clinical investigation , 2025
• Bộ sưu tập: NCBI
• ID: 739943

Tóm tắt

OBJECTIVES: Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) assays are commonly used as a pregnancy test. False-positive human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) values in urine were reported in 15 patients (nine males and six females) presenting with urinary tract infection. METHODS: Extopic hCG production and presence of heterophilic antibodies were excluded as potential causes of interference. RESULTS: Orbitrap mass spectrometry revealed the presence of uromodulin, an abundant urinary glycoprotein, as the likely cause of the interference. Falsely elevated hCG values correlated well with urinary alpha 1 microglobulin (a tubular protein) concentrations and with the urinary leukocyte count. The false positive hCG signal disappeared after antibiotic administration. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that false-positive hCG test results in urine may occur in patients presenting with upper urinary tract infections due to uromodulin interference.