Background: Estimation of circulatory PTH is necessary for correct diagnosis of diseases related to the parathyroid gland, bone, and kidney.
Methods: Roche Electrochemiluminescence PTH immunoassay was used to measure changes in plasma iPTH concentration in 100 random samples following a 24 hours incubation at room temperature.
Results: Low to normal iPTH concentration individuals showed higher decrease in iPTH concentration as compared to individuals with elevated PTH and the rate of PTH degradation was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the low to normal PTH group.
Conclusions: Blood samples from suspected hypo- or normo-parathyroid subjects should be analyzed as soon as possible as a little degradation of PTH at room temperature could influence their clinical interpretation.