ACTH stim tests

Re: ACTH stim tests

Vicki — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 12:12:54 GMT

We are using Tetracosactide I think its made by dechra. I don't think we have changed the price on our ACTH stim tests...

Re: ACTH stim tests

Martin Atkinson — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 11:56:12 GMT

[quote user="Rory Bell"]Draw the remainder of the vial up into small aliquots (so you only defrost the amount you need given that there is no bacteriostat in the solution) and freeze. [/quote]I know I said about freezing but in all honesty I haven't bothered in the past. I've just drawn it into a syringe and capped it with the rubber bung off a Fevaxyn syringe then stored in the fridge. Logic dictates to me that if it can live happily in the fridge in a glass vial it can live in a syringe in the fridge provided it is drawn sterilely (is their such a word?) and all air is expelled. Unless of course it could react with the rubber or plastic but I don't think there is any evidence to suggest that.

Re: ACTH stim tests

Rory Bell — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 10:21:57 GMT

Like Martin said - we use 5micrograms/kg IV. Good evidence that this lower dose still causes maximal adrenal stimulation at least in healthy dogs. Draw the remainder of the vial up into small aliquots (so you only defrost the amount you need given that there is no bacteriostat in the solution) and freeze. Not known if this adversely affects efficacy, but lots of anecdote (mainly from the US, where it has always been heinously expensive and therefore these practices have been used for a while) that it does not.

Cheers

Re: ACTH stim tests

Martin Atkinson — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 10:01:39 GMT

Depends what you want it for, I prefer LDDS test for diagnosis of Cushings anyway.

I suspect the cost of Synacthen reflects making a killing while market forces rule which is naughty if it is true. Still you can use fraction of the vial and store the rest frozen for future use to keep costs down.

Re: ACTH stim tests

Michael Woodhouse — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 09:20:36 GMT

We are back to ACTH stim tests, they are just very much more expensive now than they used to be.