Measurement of human growth hormone (hGH) using a rapid immunochemiluminometric assay.

A two-site immunochemiluminometric assay for human growth hormone has been developed based on the use of chemiluminescent acridinium ester labelled monoclonal antibodies and a magnetisable particle - polyclonal antibody solid-phase. The assay has an incubation time of 1 h at room temperature and rapid separation and quantitation stages. The sensitivity of detection is 0.12 mU/l and the working range is 0.88 to greater than 100 mU/l for inter-assay CVs less than or equal to 15%. The assay is convenient both technically and clinically since the wide range of growth hormone levels seen in growth hormone deficiency and acromegaly can be quantified accurately in a single test without the need for repeated sample dilution.