Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Accuracy of a new cat thyroid test compared to lab analyzer
By Gläsel, Agnes C et al.·Published in Veterinary clinical pathology·2025·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Germany·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Evaluation of the analytical performance of a point-of-care analyzer for the measurement of feline serum thyroxine concentration in comparison with a chemiluminescence enzyme immunoassay.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A study evaluated a new point-of-care analyzer for measuring thyroid hormone levels in cats, specifically total thyroxine (TT4), which is important for assessing thyroid health. The analyzer showed excellent performance and correlated well with a standard laboratory method, but it had some limitations, particularly with samples that had high levels of hemoglobin, which could affect results. While the analyzer worked well for most samples, it may not be reliable for those with very high TT4 levels. Pet owners should consult their veterinarian about the best testing options for their cat's thyroid health.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Total thyroxine (TT4) measurement is used to assess thyroid status in cats. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the prospective study was to evaluate the analytical performance of the point-of-care analyzer (POCA) Immuno AU10V using the v-T4 test kit for feline TT4 measurement. Additionally, method comparison with a benchtop analyzer (IMMULITE 2000) was done. METHODS: Validation included linearity, inter- and intra-assay precision, precision near the lower limit of quantification (LloQ), and interference testing for hemoglobin, lipid, and bilirubin. Correlation and bias were assessed. RESULTS: Linearity was given within the dynamic range. Coefficients of variation (CV) were ≤4% near the LloQ as well as for intra-and inter-assay precision. No interference was observed for lipid and bilirubin, while hemoglobin caused a negative bias of 28%. Method comparison included 74 samples within three TT4 concentration ranges (0.5-3.7, >3.7-5.13, >5.13-8 μg/dL). Correlation between POCA and reference method was excellent (r = 0.95) with a slight proportional bias of 4.5%. TEwas between 7.0% and 9.8%. Despite substantial agreement, discordant results on thyroid status occurred in 15% of samples. CONCLUSIONS: The analytical performance of the POCA was excellent, as was its correlation with the reference method. Except for the interferent effect of hemoglobin, the TEwas <TEfor all analyses. Analysis of severely hemolytic samples is not advised. However, the relatively small dynamic range of the POCA precludes quantitative analysis of samples with TT4 >8 μg/dL, and de novo reference intervals need to be established.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39928986/