Collect
Plain red top or SST tube.
Specimen Preparation
Onsite [NJH]: Transport to lab within 1 hour.
Offsite: Separate serum from cells within 2 hours by centrifuge and aliquot into a labeled polypropylene or similar plastic tube.
Preferred volume: 1 mL serum
Pediatric Collection
Minimum volume: 0.5mL serum
Unacceptable Conditions
Grossly hemolyzed specimens, more than one freeze/thaw cycle. results will be affected by turbidity and particulate matter.
Storage Transport Temp
Offsite: Send frozen serum Priority Overnight via FedEx and in a well insulated container on dry ice.
Stability
Stability after cell separation:
72 hours at RT (15-25°C)
12 days refrigerated at 2-8°C
Indefinitely if frozen at ≤ -20°C