DETECTION OF THE CARRIER STATE FOR CLASSIC HEMOPHILIA USING AN ENZYME-LINKED IMMUNOSORBENT-ASSAY (ELISA)

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 59  (6) , 1163-1168
Abstract
A high proportion of carriers of classic hemophilia can be identified in the laboratory, because in comparison to normal women the concentration of antigens related to antihemophilic factor (AHF, factor VIII) that are detected in their plasma by heterologous antiserum (factor VIIIR:Ag) is relatively higher than the titer of AHF that is measured in clotting assays (factor VIII:C). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) appears to overcome some of the technical difficulties associated with measurement of AHF-like antigens. The results of ELISA correlated closely with those obtained by semiquantitative immunoelectrophoresis, except in patients with von Willebrand''s disease in which ELISA appeared to provide a more quantitative estimate of AHF-like antigen. By utilizing the ELISA technique and a revised method of log discriminant analysis, 37 obligate carriers of hemophilia were distinguished at a level of certainty that would have misclassified 5% of normal women as carriers. The relative simplicity of ELISA suggests its utility in the diagnosis of the carrier state in the female relatives of hemophiliacs.