Hook effect

The Hook effect or high dose Hook effect describes a wrong low measurement of
analytes which are present in the specimen in a very high concentration.

If the analyte concentration is too high, all antibody binding sites are fully
occupied.

Additional analyte molecules can not be measured within the limit of the binding
curve.

This fact leads to wrong low results. Parallel measurements of different sample
dilutions can detect a high dose hook effect and so you can adjust the
measurement.

Well-known clinical parameters which are subject to high dose hook effect are:
e.g. CRP, AFP, CA 125, PSA, ferritin, prolactin and TSH.

Hook effect. High analyte concentration can simulate under specific conditions
false negative signals.