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Blood Sciences

Blood Test Information

Copeptin
 
minimum sample volume required ~ 5ml

  back to assay index

Test Code: COP

Other acceptable tube types
Lithium heparin (pale green)

Special instructions
Usually available for endocrinology patients only.

Sent away to Royal Victoria Hospital, Newcastle
Contact Laboratory before requesting

Reference range
No single reference range is applicable as copeptin varies according to plasma osmolality in normal individuals. An interpretive comment will be included with each report.

Units
pmol/L

Turnaround Time
28 days

Department: Biochemistry

Clinical Application
Copeptin is used in the differential diagnosis of polyuria/polydipsia syndromes.

Copeptin is released on an equimolar basis with arginine vasopressin (AVP). Copeptin provides a surrogate measure of AVP concentrations. The differentiation of AVP deficiency (cranial diabetes insipidus) from primary polydipsia can be made by measurement of copeptin during the controlled osmotic stress of a hypertonic saline infusion. Patients with AVP resistance (nephrogenic diabetes insipidus) typically have higher copeptin concentrations.

Please see RUH biochemistry webpage for copeptin protocol under clinical guideline.

Webpage updated: March 2024.


Links:
» RUH Diabetes Insipidus Copeptin Protocol