Ordering Recommendation

Use to evaluate pernicious anemia or immune-mediated deficiency of vitamin B12 with or without megaloblastic anemia. Negative results do not rule out pernicious anemia.

New York DOH Approval Status

This test is New York state approved.

Specimen Required

Patient Preparation
Collect

Serum separator tube.

Specimen Preparation

Separate serum from cells ASAP or within 2 hours of collection. Transfer 0.5 mL serum to an ARUP Standard Transport Tube. (Min: 0.25 mL)

Storage/Transport Temperature

Refrigerated.

Unacceptable Conditions

Urine or plasma. Contaminated, heat-inactivated, grossly hemolyzed, or severely lipemic specimens.

Remarks
Stability

After separation from cells: Ambient: 48 hours; Refrigerated: 2 weeks; Frozen: 1 year (avoid repeated freeze/thaw cycles)

Methodology

Semi-Quantitative Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay

Performed

Mon, Wed-Sat

Reported

1-3 days

Reference Interval

Test Number
Components
Reference Interval
  Gastric Parietal Cell Antibody, IgG 24.9 Units or less

Interpretive Data

In the context of vitamin B12 deficiency, the presence of gastric parietal cell antibodies (PCA) and/or intrinsic factor antibodies in association with macrocytic anemia is considered diagnostic for pernicious anemia (PA). However, the presence of gastric PCAs alone is not specific for PA. Gastric PCAs may occur with increased frequency in unaffected family members, a small percentage of healthy individuals, and patients with other autoimmune diseases, such as autoimmune thyroiditis.


Component
Interpretation
Parietal Cell Antibody, IgG 0.0-20.0 Units                Negative
20.1-24.9 Units              Equivocal
25.0 Units or greater       Positive

Compliance Category

FDA

Note

Most patients with pernicious anemia have parietal cell antibodies. However, the fact that such antibodies are found with increased frequency in unaffected family members, as well as in patients with other autoimmune diseases, suggests these antibodies do not cause disease by themselves.

Hotline History

N/A

CPT Codes

83516

Components

Component Test Code* Component Chart Name LOINC
0050596 Gastric Parietal Cell Antibody, IgG 40960-7
* Component test codes cannot be used to order tests. The information provided here is not sufficient for interface builds; for a complete test mix, please click the sidebar link to access the Interface Map.

Aliases

  • Anti-GPA (AGPA)
  • Anti-Parietal Cell Antibody (APCA)
  • Hydrogen Potassium (H+/K+) ATPase
  • Parietal Cell Ab, IgG
  • PCA
  • PCA IgG
Gastric Parietal Cell Antibody, IgG