Preferred Specimen(s)

1 mL serum

Minimum Volume

0.5 mL

Specimen Container

Plastic screw-cap vial

Transport Temperature

Frozen

Specimen Stability

Room temperature: 4 hours
Refrigerated: 24 hours
Frozen: 30 days

Reject Criteria

Received room temperature • Gross hemolysis

Preferred Specimen(s)

1 mL plasma collected in an EDTA (lavender-top) tube

Minimum Volume

0.3 mL

Collection Instructions

Mix the sample and centrifuge immediately after collection to separate plasma from cells. Transfer plasma to a plastic specimen transport container and mark the specimen type as plasma on the container. Freeze immediately. Cytokine levels may demonstrate diurnal variation. Recommend cytokine levels be determined at the same time of day for improved longitudinal comparison.

Transport Container

Transport tube

Transport Temperature

Frozen

Specimen Stability

Room temperature: 4 hours
Refrigerated: 48
hours Frozen: 1 year

Reject Criteria

Gross hemolysis • Gross lipemia • Received room temperature • Received refrigerated • Gross icterus

Preferred Specimen(s)

3 mL frozen plasma collected in an EDTA (lavender-top) tube

Minimum Volume

1 mL

Transport Container

Transport tube

Transport Temperature

Frozen

Specimen Stability

Room temperature: Unacceptable Refrigerated: Unacceptable
Frozen: 90 days

Reject Criteria

Received room temperature • Received refrigerated

Preferred Specimen(s)

1 mL platelet-free plasma collected in EDTA (lavender-top) tube

Minimum Volume

0.25 mL

Collection Instructions

PSC Collections: Collect in EDTA (lavender-top) tube and immediately centrifuge to prepare platelet-poor plasma. Decant the plasma into another pour-over tube. Centrifuge a second time and pour over plasma. Freeze immediately.

Client Collections: Collect in EDTA (lavender-top) tube. Centrifuge for 15 minutes at 1000 X g within 30 minutes of collection. Centrifuge plasma again at 3000 X g for 10 minutes for complete platelet removal. Freeze Immediately.

For fixed speed centrifuges such as 645e: Collect in EDTA (lavender-top) tube. Centrifuge 3 times for 10 minutes at 1600 X g while decanting the plasma each time before the next spin within 30 minutes of collection. Freeze immediately.

Transport Container

Transport tube

Transport Temperature

Frozen

Specimen Stability

Room temperature: Not established
Refrigerated: 48 hours
Frozen -20° C: 14 days
Frozen -70° C: 30 days

Reject Criteria

Hemolysis • Grossly lipemic • Specimens with particulate matter or microbial contamination • Specimens outside of listed stability