Test Entry - Detail

Angiotensin Converting Enzyme

General

Clinical Use:

Measurement of ACE activity is useful for detecting clinically active sarcoidosis and monitoring the effectiveness of steroid therapy in this disease. In sarcoidosis, the normal blood cell line called monocytes are transformed into the disease producing cell line called sarcoid cells. The transformed cells have been shown to directly synthesize ACE. Normal monocytes do not produce significant amounts of ACE. The increased serum ACE activity in sarcoid is a direct manifestation of the presence of sarcoid cells, rather than representing the breakdown of lung tissue, which itself contains the greatest amount of ACE activity in the body. Other possible causes of raised ACE activity include hyperthyroidism, diabetes mellitus, viral hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, leprosy, silicosis and asbestosis. Gaucher's disease is also associated with high ACE activity usually from children's samples. Very low ACE activities usually mean the patient is taking an ACE inhibitor.

Availability:

Samples are batched and tested twice a week.

Aliases/Synonyms:

ACE,

Code:

ACE

Handling Instructions (to laboratory):

Send sample chilled.

Hyperlink:

Reference Interval:

<17y:  29-112 U/L
=>17y: 20-70 U/L

Collection Requirements

Container:

Serum Sep. Tube-SST (GOLD),

Sample Type:

Minimum Collection Volume:

2mL

Collection Instructions:

Processing Requirements

Alternate Containers:

Lithium Heparin-PST (GREEN)

Processing Instructions:

Minimum Assay Volume:

0.5mL

Stability:

1 week chilled; longer if frozen.

Transport Instructions (to testing laboratory):

Send sample chilled.

Testing Locations

Performed at:

Section	Department	Site	Contact Phone
Core	Biochemistry	QEII Medical Centre	6383 4093

Last Updated : 29-09-2020 13:53