Biogenic amine testing in the South African public health care system.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Phaeochromocytoma, paraganglioma and neuroblastoma are catecholamine secreting neuroendocrine tumours. Biochemical screening for suspected cases of these tumours involves the measurement of catecholamines and their metabolites in either urine or plasma. The South African National Health Laboratory service (NHLS) measures urine fractionated metanephrines (UMF) and normetanephrines (UNF), urine vanillylmandelic acid (UVMA) and urine homovanillic acid (UHVA).

Objectives

To analyse the demographic, biochemical and testing patterns of patients' UMF, UNF, UVMA and UHVA in the NHLS.

Methods

Data from January 2015 to December 2016 for all patients undergoing UMF, UNF, UVMA and UHVA testing was extracted from the NHLS central data warehouse. Neuroendocrine tumours w

SUBMITTER: Legg-E'Silva D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11833340 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature