Specimen Requirements

Due to interference, patients receiving high doses of biotin (>5 mg/day) should wait at least 8 hours after dose before having blood drawn.

Collection Instructions:

1. Serum and Plasma gel tubes should be centrifuged within 2 hours of collection.

2. Red-top tubes should be centrifuged and aliquoted within 2 hours of collection.

Submit only 1 of the following specimens:

Preferred:

Plasma

Draw blood in a mint green-top (heparin) gel tube(s). Spin down and send 1 mL of heparinized plasma refrigerated.

Note: 

1. Indicate plasma on request form.

2. Label specimen appropriately (plasma).

Alternate:

Serum

Draw blood in a gold-top serum gel tube(s). Spin down and send 1 mL of serum refrigerated.
Note:

1. A speckled-top serum gel tube (s) or a plain, red-top tube(s) is also acceptable.

2. Indicate serum on request form.

3. Label specimen appropriately (serum).

Roche Specimen Stability Information

VWH Lab Additional Collection Instructions:

1. Serum and plasma (heparin) are the recommended samples.

2. Observe the following recommendations for handling, processing, and storing blood samples:

• Collect all blood samples observing routine precautions for venipuncture.
• Allow serum samples to clot completely before centrifugation.
• Keep tubes stoppered at all times.

3. Within two hours after centrifugation, transfer at least 500 μL of cell-free sample to a storage tube. Tightly stopper the tube immediately.

• Store samples tightly stoppered at room temperature (15 to 30°C) for no longer than eight hours.
• If the assay will not be completed within eight hours, refrigerate the samples at 2 to 8°C for up to 48 hrs.