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Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes 2012; 120(03): 169-170
DOI: 10.1055/s-0031-1301290
Short Communication
© J. A. Barth Verlag in Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Serum Procalcitonin and Calcitonin Normal Values Before and After Calcium Gluconate Infusion

L. Giovanella
1   Department of Nuclear Medicine and Thyroid Centre, Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, Bellinzona, Switzerland
2   Department of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Bellinzona, Switzerland
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received 21 July 2011
first decision 23 December 2011

accepted 04 January 2012

Publication Date:
10 February 2012 (online)

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Abstract

Aim:

To evaluate and compare serum procalcitonin (PCT) and calcitonin (hCT) levels before and after stimulation with intravenous calcium gluconate in selected thyroid healthy subjects.

Methods:

There were enrolled 78 healthy blood donors with no history of thyroid disease, renal disease, neuroendocrine tumours, infections or inflammatory diseases, and taking no proton-pump inhibitors medication. Serum PCT and hCT were measured before and after intravenous injection of 2.5 mg/kg calcium gluconate.

Results:

Undetectable basal PCT values were found in all subjects while a marginal increase occurred only in 2 male subjects after stimulation. The basal and stimulated 95th percentile hCT values were 7.80 pg/mL and 102 pg/mL in males and 5.20 pg/mL and 78.5 pg/mL in females, respectively.

Conclusions:

Our data suggest that calcium gluconate physiologically stimulate the release of mature hCT molecule from the parafollicular C-cells with no or minimal effects on the PCT release. Our preliminary results form a reliable reference platform for basal and calcium-stimulated PCT measurements in clinical studies.

Key words

calcitonin - procalcitonin - medullary thyroid carcinoma - calcium gluconate
 

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