Catecholamine Fractionation, Plasma, Free
Specimen Type Describes the specimen type needed for testing
Plasma EDTA Meta
Specimen Required Defines the optimal specimen. This field describes the type of specimen required to perform the test and the preferred volume to complete testing. The volume allows automated processing, fastest throughput and, when indicated, repeat or reflex testing.
Collection Container/Tube: Catecholamine tubes containing EDTA-sodium metabisulfite solution (Supply T066) (tubes have a 6-month expiration time)
Submission Container/Tube: Plastic vial
Specimen Volume: 3 mL
1. Drawing from a catheter is required.
2. Unless the purpose of the measurement is drug monitoring, discontinue any epinephrine, norepinephrine, or dopamine injections or infusions for at least 12 hours before specimen draw.
3. Discontinue drugs that release epinephrine, norepinephrine, or dopamine or hinder their metabolism for at least 1 week before obtaining the specimen (see Cautions for details). If this is not possible for medical reasons, contact the laboratory and discuss whether a shorter drug withdrawal period may be possible in a particular case.
4. Do not perform the test on patients withdrawing from legal or illegal drugs known to cause rebound plasma catecholamine release during withdrawal (see Cautions for details).
5. The patient must refrain from eating, using tobacco, and drinking caffeinated beverages for at least 4 hours before the specimen is drawn.
6. Calm the patient by giving complete instructions and reassurance regarding the procedure.
7. Insert an indwelling intravenous catheter. Flush with 3 mL of NaCl, using positive pressure.
8. Have the patient rest for 30 minutes in the supine position in a quiet room.
9. At the end of the 30 minutes, withdraw and discard a minimum of 3 mL of blood to remove the saline out of the catheter.
10. If provocative sampling (eg, standing specimen) is required, perform provocative maneuver immediately after obtaining supine specimen. Obtain standing specimen immediately.
11. For each specimen, draw 10 mL of blood into the chilled EDTA-sodium metabisulfite 10-mL tube.
12. Specimens must remain at refrigerated temperature during processing and transport.
13. Separate plasma in a refrigerated centrifuge within 30 minutes of draw.
14. Freeze specimen immediately.
Specimen Minimum Volume Defines the amount of specimen required to perform an assay once, including instrument and container dead space. Submitting the minimum specimen volume makes it impossible to repeat the test or perform confirmatory or perform reflex testing. In some situations, a minimum specimen volume may result in a QNS (quantity not sufficient) result, requiring a second specimen to be collected.
Mild OK; Gross reject
Mild OK; Gross OK
Mild OK; Gross OK
Specimen Stability Information Provides a description of the temperatures required to transport a specimen to the laboratory. Alternate acceptable temperature(s) are also included.
|Plasma EDTA Meta||Frozen||7 days|