NSE

 

Alternative names, keywords

Neurone-specific enolase, neuron specific enolase

Samples required

Clotted blood (gold cap, 5 mL tube).

Bring to lab immediately (samples must be received in lab within 45 minutes of venepuncture).

Service offered to ITU every day (including weekends). Please contact the laboratory in advance if sample will  be sent at the weekend.
Samples should ideally reach lab before mid-day (particularly if a same day result is required).

Test indications

Assessment of a patient’s capacity to regain cognitive function following brain trauma. Also used as a tumour marker to monitor diagnosed cases.

Test information

Please note this test is not currently UKAS accredited.

Factors affecting test performance/ results

Haemolysis will increase NSE concentrations and results will need to be interpreted with caution. Results with mild haemolysis will be flagged with a cautionary note the report. In situations where haemolysis makes the results unreliable no NSE value will be reported.

Delayed transport of sample to the laboratory will also increase NSE concentrations.

Samples should not be taken from patients receiving therapy with high biotin doses (i.e. > 5 mg/day) until at least 8 hours following the last biotin administration.

In rare cases, interference due to extremely high titres of antibodies to analyte-specific antibodies, streptavidin or ruthenium can occur.

Results should always be assessed in conjunction with the patient’s medical history, clinical examination and other findings.

Reference range

Up to 16 ng/mL

Source: Roche Cobas® NSE kit insert, 2017-01, V 15.0

There are a number of conditions that may lead to an increased NSE concentration and it is the responsibility of the requesting physician to take these into consideration when interpreting results. These conditions include:

  • small cell bronchial carcinoma - elevated NSE concentrations are found in 60 - 81 % of cases.
  • apudoma - in 34 % of the cases elevated NSE values (> 12.5 ng/mL) are found in serum.
  • seminoma: 68 - 73 % of the patients have a clinically significant NSE elevation.
  • renal carcinomas: increased NSE concentrations have been reported for 14 % of organ-restricted and 46 % of metastasizing renal carcinomas
  • benign disease: elevated serum NSE concentrations (> 12 ng/mL) have been found in patients with benign pulmonary diseases and cerebral diseases.
  • elevated values, mainly in the CSF, have been found in cerebrovascular meningitis, disseminated encephalitis, spinocerebellar degeneration, cerebral ischemia, cerebral infarction, intracerebral hematoma, subarachnoid hemorrhage, head injuries, inflammatory brain diseases, organic epilepsy, schizophrenia, and Jakob Creutzfeld disease.

Source: Roche Cobas® NSE kit insert, 2017-01, V 15.0

Turnaround time

Providing samples are received by midday, results will be available by 5pm on the same day. Results from samples received after midday may not be available till the following day.

Enquiries

Biochemistry (Automation at PRH)

 

 

Details