Clinical Information

Taking estrogen and progesterone supplements can affect results. The supplement dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) may cause falsely elevated progesterone results in immunoassays. For patients being treated with DHEA, liquid chromatography‑mass spectrometry (LC‑MS) should be used. With the advent of new steroid-based medications (analogues) with similar chemical structures to progesterone, there is the possibility of cross-reactivity and falsely elevated results. For diagnostic purposes, the results should always be assessed in conjunction with the patient's medical history, clinical examination and other findings. For assays employing antibodies, the possibility exists for interference by human anti-animal antibodies (i.e., heterophile antibodies) in the patient sample. Patients who have been regularly exposed to animals or have received immunotherapy or diagnostic procedures utilizing immunoglobulins or immunoglobulin fragments may produce antibodies, (eg, HAMA), that interfere with immunoassays. This may falsely elevate or falsely decrease the results.