Are laboratories reporting serum quantitative hCG results correctly? Clin Chem 2008;54:761–4. Editorial Clinical Chemistry 55:8

is a heterodimeric glycoprotein hormone that exists in multiple forms. Immunoassays commonly used in clinical laboratories measure intact hCG, total hCG (intact hCG hCG free -subunit), and/or hCG free -subunit. Measurement of serum concentrations of hCG is useful for confirmation and monitoring of pregnancy, diagnosis of trophoblastic diseases and monitoring of the efficacy of treatment, and prenatal screening. Correctly reporting results for the various forms of hCG is clinically important. METHOD: We prepared samples by addition of intact hCG and hCG free -subunit to an essentially hCG-free human serum matrix. The samples were analyzed by participant laboratories using various immunoassay methods