AMHconverter: an online tool for converting results between the different anti-Müllerian hormone assays of Roche Elecsys®, Beckman Access, and Kangrun

PeerJ. 2023 Jun 5:11:e15301. doi: 10.7717/peerj.15301. eCollection 2023.

Abstract

Background: The anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is gaining attention as a key factor in determining ovarian reserve and polycystic ovarian syndrome, and its clinical applications are becoming more widespread worldwide.

Objective: To identify the most accurate formula for converting AMH assay results between different platforms, so that the developed AMH converter can be used to reduce the need for multiple AMH tests at different hospitals.

Methods: Assuming that the Beckman Access, Kangrun, and Roche Elecsys® AMH assays fit a linear relationship from the lowest to the highest concentration (a global relationship), we used Passing-Bablok regression to determine the conversion equation between each two assays. When the relationship between two AMH assays was a local one, spline regression was used. Bland-Altman plots were drawn to check systemic bias and heterogeneity of variance across different ranges of values. The fitting effects of the models were evaluated using the squared coefficient of determination (r2), adjusted r2, root mean square error (RMSE), Akaike information criterion (AIC), and corrected AIC.

Results: The coefficient of variance for multiple controls in the Kangrun, Roche, and Beckman assays was lower than 5%, and the bias of multiple controls was lower than 7%. A global linear relationship was observed between the Kangrun and Roche assays, with the intercept being zero, for which Passing-Bablok regression was employed for data conversion between the two platforms. For the other two pairs of platforms, i.e., Roche and Kangrun or Beckman and Kangrun, spline regression was applied, with the intercepts not including zero. The six corresponding formulas were developed into an online AMH converter (http://121.43.113.123:8006/).

Conclusion: This is the first time Passing-Bablok plus spline regression has been used to convert AMH concentrations from one assay to another. The formulas have been developed into an online tool, which makes them convenient to use in practical applications.

Keywords: Anti-Mullerian hormone assay; Beckman; Kangrun; Passing–Bablok regression; Roche; Spline regression.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Mullerian Hormone
  • Biological Assay
  • Hospitals
  • Nonoxynol
  • Ovarian Reserve*
  • Peptide Hormones*
  • Spiders*
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta

Substances

  • Anti-Mullerian Hormone
  • Nonoxynol
  • Peptide Hormones
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta

Grants and funding

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China for Distinguished Young Scholars (grant no. 81925013); the Innovation & Transfer Fund of Peking University Third Hospital (grant nos. BYSYZHZB2020102, BYSYZHKC2021104); Major National R&D Projects of China (grant no. 2017ZX09304012-012); the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant no. 81771650); the Capital Health Research and Development of Special Project (grant no. 2018-1-4091); and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Basic Research Cooperation Project (grant no. 19JCZDJC65000). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.