This section provides general information and recommendations for analyzing specimens involving the following conditions:

• 24-hour Protein Analysis from Random Collections
  Difficulties in reliably collecting a 24-hour urine have given rise to the use of algorithms for predicting the excretion of various substances based upon measurement of the analyte in a single voided urine specimen. One example is the use of a calculation to predict the 24-hour protein excretion based upon the measurement of the protein/creatinine ratio in a single void.  Such simplifications often fill a diagnostic need, but the assumptions and the limitations of the test must be understood and may have different consequences when used in a clinical trial.Read more...

• Analysis Using Dilutions
  The property of an analytical method that describes the ability of the procedure to measure only the analyte intended is termed “analytical specificity." Experimentally, one of the tools we have to assess analytical specificity is to perform the analysis on a series of dilutions of the original, or neat, sample.Read more...

• Critical Lab Value
  From our Policy Manual, a critical value is defined as a value that represents a pathophysiological state at such variance with normal (expected values) as to be life-threatening unless something is done promptly and for which some corrective action could be taken.Read more...

• Neutrophil and Platelet Loss
  Neutrophils and platelets are the most sensitive components of the CBC. Temperature affects appear to alter the neutrophil counts first, and most dramatically. The detailed nature of the degradation is unknown, however.Read more...

• Renal Function and GFR
  The primary publication on the use of cold (non-radio labeled) iothalamate as a means of assessing Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) was published in 1997.... The key breakthrough presented in that paper was a convenient method for analyzing iothalamate using capillary electrophoresis.Read more...

• Specimens Beyond Stability Limits
  Under the regulatory guidelines governing our operations, we have an obligation to both provide instructions for the proper handling and shipping of specimens and to follow those instructions when we receive the specimens. There is substantial data to indicate that certain samples, especially hematology and urinalysis specimens, contain certain components that degrade significantly when not kept at refrigerated temperatures for more than 24 hours.Read more...

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