Pathology Handbook

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PIIINP

Alternative Names:

P3NP

Laboratory:

Clinical Biochemistry

Test Code:

P3NP

Specimen Types:

Serum
Plasma

Container Types:

SST

Collection & Request Instructions:

Serum preferred. Lithium Heparin and EDTA plasma acceptable.

Transport Instructions between Sites and/or Laboratories:

Room Temperature

If sending samples from outside institutions - please send samples frozen.

Specimen volume required : Absolute minimum 0.6 mL frozen aliquot. Ideally send 1 mL frozen aliquot.

Assay Frequency:

No Longer Available

Additional Notes:

Aminoterminal peptide of type III procollagen (PIIINP) is produced in the processing of procollagen to mature collagen type III. This marker has been used to identify patients at increased risk of liver fibrosis who are exposed to large amounts of methotrexate (>1.5g total).

The cut-off level that is used to identify patients at increased risk is > 4.2 ug/L.

Note that this is well within the reference range as described by the company. The reference interval for adults (19 -65 years) was determined in over 200 healthy adults as 2.3 ug/L to 6.4 ug/L.

Reference values in children are significantly higher. Further note that this is the same assay that has been used in the clinical studies published (Maurice PDL et al. Monitoring patients on Methotrexate: hepatic fibrosis not seen in patients with normal serum assays of aminoterminal peptide of type III procollagen. Br J Dermatol 2005; 152:451 - 8, Kahn S et al. Use of amino terminal type III procollagen peptide (P3NP) assay in methotrexate therapy for psoriasis, Postgrad Med J 2006;82:353-354).

Ref. Range details supplied by A/Prof. Hans Schneider November 2008.

NOTE: This test NO longer available at Alfred Pathology Service