Copeptin

Copeptin (also known as CT-proAVP) is a 39-amino acid-long peptide derived from a pre-pro-hormone consisting of vasopressin, neurophysin II and copeptin. Arginine vasopressin (AVP), also known as the antidiuretic hormone (ADH), is involved in multiple cardiovascular and renal pathways and functions. However, vasopressin measurements are not commonly used in clinical practice because of the biochemical features of the molecule: its small size and very short half-life make vasopressin testing quite complicated and labor-intensive. On the other hand, copeptin can be immunologically tested with ease and therefore be used as a vasopressin surrogate.