Double immunochemical screening test (hemoglobin and albumin) for the detection of occult intestinal bleeding.

The authors have developed a combined electrophoretic-immunoprecipitation technique suitable for the simultaneous demonstration of two blood proteins, i.e., hemoglobin and albumin, in the feces. The analytical sensitivity of the method is 2 micrograms hemoglobin and albumin/ml. The technique is simple, inexpensive, and suitable for the reliable demonstration of occult intestinal bleeding for either inpatients or mass screening. This technique is an aid not only to the fact that bleeding can be detected, but to its intensity, as well. This new technique improves the diagnostic accuracy of early detection of carcinomas and polyps, presumably without raising significantly the number of "false-positive" reactions.