一種檢測內因子抗體的實驗方法被設計用于幫助診斷惡性貧血。

這種新檢測方法給實驗室提供了進行快速準確鑒別診斷惡性貧血的能力，該病的特征是巨幼紅細胞性貧血、神經病變以及出現內因子自身抗體的胃炎。這種疾病能夠影響普通人群，但是在老年人群中發病率更高。惡性貧血與內因子抗體的出現與自身免疫性疾病相聯系，比如橋本氏甲狀腺炎、胰島素依賴性糖尿病、彌漫性毒性甲狀腺腫(Graves病)、風濕性關節炎、甲狀旁腺功能減退、以及Lambert-Eaton綜合征。

新檢測方法可以檢測血清或者肝素抗凝的血漿，所需樣品體積只要55ìl。檢測試劑是即配即用型試劑，總變異系數不超過檢驗范圍的8％。首次試驗獲得結果的時間小于35分鐘。內因子是一種存在于胃的天然物質，是維生素B12吸收所必不可少的；如果內因子缺乏，就會導致惡性貧血與維生素B12缺乏。這種新檢測方法是貝克曼公司(Fullerton, CA, USA)的產品。

Assay Expands Anemia Test Menu
 
A test for intrinsic factor antibodies (Ab) is designed to aid the diagnosis of pernicious anemia.

This new assay gives laboratories the ability to produce rapid, accurate results for the differential diagnosis of pernicious anemia, which is characterized by megaloblastic anemia, neuropathy, and gastritis with intrinsic factor autoantibodies. The disease can affect the general population but is more prevalent in elderly people. Pernicious anemia and the presence of intrinsic factor antibodies are linked to autoimmune disease states, such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, Grave’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, myasthenia gravis, hypoparathyroidism, and Lambert-Eaton syndrome.

The new test can be performed on serum or heparinized plasma and requires a sample volume of 55 ìl. The liquid, ready-to-use reagent features total imprecision of less than 8% of the coefficient of variation (CV) across the assay range. The time to first result is less than 35 minutes. Intrinsic factor is a natural substance present in the stomach and is essential to the digestion of vitamin B12; being without it leads to pernicious anemia and vitamin B12 deficiency. The new test is the product of Beckman Coulter (Fullerton, CA, USA).