neuron-specific enolase in serum

Reference interval

• 0-9 ng/mL (Pharm)
• 0-22 ng/mL (Roche)

Increases

• clinical disorders
• neuroendocrine tumors of APUD origin
  • 90-100% of patients with neuroblastoma
  • small cell carcinoma of the lung
    • 50-90% of patients
    • enzyme activity correlates with extent of disease
  • retinoblastoma
  • medullary carcinoma of the thyroid
  • pancreatic islet cell carcinoma
  • carcinoid
  • pheochromocytoma
• septic shock
• pneumonia
• neural trauma

Specimen

• serum
• stable up to 48 hours at 2-8 degrees C
• freeze at -20 degrees C for longer periods
• avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles
• avoid hemolysis
• separated serum from erythrocytes in < 60 minutes

Interferences

• neuron-specific enolase (enolase-2) is also found in:
• erythrocytes
• plasma cells
• platelets

More general terms

• neuron specific enolase in body fluid

Additional terms

• enolase-2; gamma-enolase; neuron specific enolase (ENO2)