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Assay Variability

Meaning

Assay variability refers to the inherent lack of perfect reproducibility in the quantitative measurement of biological analytes, such as hormones or metabolites, within a clinical laboratory setting. It describes the extent to which repeated measurements of the same sample, using the same method, or across different methods or laboratories, yield different numerical results. Minimizing this variability is a fundamental requirement for accurate clinical interpretation and therapeutic monitoring in endocrinology. High assay variability can lead to misdiagnosis or inappropriate dose adjustments in hormone replacement therapy.