Specimen Requirements

Serum and sodium citrate blood and EDTA whole blood are required for these tests.

Beta-2 Glycoprotein 1 Antibodies, IgG, IgM

Gold Top SST or Red-Top tube

Blood or Plasma for  DRVVT, PT/INR, APTT, and Hexagonal Phospholipid Neutralization (StaClot)

Submit only 1 of the following specimens:

Riverside Inpatients and Riverside Campus draw sites:

Testing must be performed within 4 hours of draw if submitting unprocessed whole blood.

Draw 8 full, light blue-top (citrate) tubes; and send citrated whole blood. Invert several times to mix blood. Forward unprocessed whole blood promptly at ambient temperature only. Do not refrigerate.

Note:  1. Patient should not be receiving heparin or Coumadin® therapy.

2. Gross hemolysis, lipemia, or icteric specimen may affect results.

3. Indicate whole blood on request form.

4. Label specimens appropriately (whole blood for DRVVT

Outpatients/Outreach Clients:

Plasma-Frozen

Draw 8 full, light blue-top (citrate) tubes. Spin down, remove plasma, spin plasma again, and place citrated platelet-poor plasma into 4 plastic vials each containing 1 mL. (Glass vial is not acceptable.) Pour-off vials should be no more than 2/3 full. Send specimen frozen.

Note:  1. Double-centrifuged specimen is critical for accurate results as platelet contamination may cause spurious results.

2. Patient should not be receiving heparin or Coumadin® therapy.

3. Gross hemolysis, lipemia, or icteric specimen may affect results.

4. Indicate plasma on request form.

5. Label specimens appropriately (plasma for DRVVT

Serum or Plasma for Phospholipid Antibodies (Cardiolipin Antibodies)

Submit only 1 of the following specimens:

Serum

Draw blood in a gold-top or a speckled-top serum gel tube(s). (Hemolyzed or contaminated specimen is not acceptable.) Spin down immediately and send 1 mL of serum refrigerated.

Note:.

1. Plain, red-top tube(s) is also acceptable.

2. Label specimen appropriately (serum for phospholipid antibodies [cardiolipin antibodies]).

Plasma

Draw blood in a mint green-top (heparin) gel tube(s) or a lavender-top (EDTA) tube(s). (Hemolyzed or contaminated specimen is not acceptable.) Spin down immediately and send 1 mL of heparinized or EDTA plasma refrigerated.

Note:  1. Label specimen appropriately plasma for phospholipid antibodies [cardiolipin antibodies]).