Abstract

In the Cologne laboratory the initial testing procedure for human choriogonadotropin (hCG) in urine of male athletes is performed by chemiluminescene enzyme immunoassay with the total ß-hCG Kit, analysis system Access2 from Beckman Coulter. In case of a suspicious screening result the test has to be repeated with a second antibody recognising different epitopes of the macromolecule than that one applied for the initial testing procedure. Here the hCG STAT kit from Roche (Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Mannheim, Germany) is chosen. In 2007 and 2008 both German WADA accredited laboratories, Cologne and Kreischa, received several samples from the same male athlete showing constantly suspicious screening results for total ß-hCG, but no indication for the presence of hCG (complete molecule, consisting of α- and ß-subunit). As a follow-up-procedure one suspicious sample was analysed with three different assays for total ß-hCG (two in Cologne, one in Kreischa) and two different assays for hCG and LH (Cologne and Kreischa respectively). The results of this follow-up as well as recommendations to the result management authorities are presented. Verf.-Referat (geändert)