Copeptin Reviewed as Surrogate Biomarker for Vasopressin in Pediatric Diseases
This review evaluates copeptin, the stable C-terminal fragment of the arginine vasopressin precursor, as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker across pediatric conditions. Unlike AVP itself, copeptin is stable in blood samples and straightforward to measure by immunoassay, making it practical for clinical laboratories. While promising for sepsis, diabetes insipidus, and acute illness assessment in children, further validation studies in pediatric populations are needed before widespread adoption.
The original study
Copeptin as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in pediatric diseases.
- Authors
- Shu X, Cai F, Li W, Shen H
- Journal
- Clinical chemistry and laboratory medicine
- Type
- Journal Article, Review
- PMID
- 39165044
Original abstract
Arginine vasopressin (AVP) plays a main role in maintaining the homeostasis of fluid balance and vascular tone and in regulating the endocrine stress response in response to osmotic, hemodynamic and stress stimuli. However, the difficulty in measuring AVP limits its clinical application. Copeptin, the C-terminal part of the AVP precursor, is released in an equimolar concentration mode with AVP from the pituitary but is more stable and simple to measure. Therefore, copeptin has emerged as a promising surrogate marker of AVP with excellent potential for the diagnosis, differentiation and prognosis of various diseases in recent decades. However, its application requires further validation, especially in the pediatric population. This review focuses on the clinical value of copeptin in different pediatric diseases and the prospects for its application as a potential biomarker.