Specimen Requirements

Submit only 1 of the following specimens:

Preferred:

Plasma

Draw blood in a green-top (lithium heparin) tube from a fasting patient (8 hour preferred). For pediatric specimens, draw blood in a green-top (lithium heparin) MICROTAINER(S)®. Label the specimen with the patient's name (first and last), date of birth, date and time of draw, the phlebotomist's initials and as plasma. Spin down and send 2 mL of lithium heparin plasma in the original VACUTAINER(S)® refrigerated. Avoid exposure of specimen to atmosphere. (Do not transfer or open tube.)

Alternate:

Serum

Draw blood in a gold-top (serum separater) gel tube from a fasting patient (8 hour preferred). Label the specimen with the patient's name (first and last), date of birth, date and time of draw, the phlebotomist's initials and as serum. Spin down and send 2 mL of serum in original VACUTAINER(S)® refrigerated. Avoid exposure of specimen to atmosphere. (Do not transfer or open tube.)

*Glucose will drop 5.0 mg/dL to 10 mg/dL per hour in an unseparated, ambient serum gel tube.

Specimen stability:

2 days refrigerated at 2-8°C

Minimum volume:

2 mL

Specimen rejection criteria:

Hemolyzed and lipemic samples will not be accepted.