• Preferred: Serum from a red top tube transferred to a transport tube
• Acceptable: Serum from a centrifuged gold top serum separator tube.

• Collect blood in red top or gold top tube.
• Gently invert the tube with the blood specimen five times immediately after collection.
• Allow to clot 30 minutes from collection. 
• Centrifuge gold top tube to separate serum from red blood cells.
• For red top tube: Immediately transfer serum into a transport tube. 
• For gold top tube: Immediately transfer serum into a transport tube if serum will be frozen. *
• Store serum cold if testing will occur within 7 days of collection.
• Store serum frozen if testing will occur after 7 days of collection.

NOTE: * Gold top serum separator tube cannot be frozen. Serum must be transferred to a transport tube prior to freezing.  

• Two patient-specific identifiers required (e.g., patient full name, date of birth, medical record number).
• Identifiers on specimen must exactly match submission form.

• Ship all specimens overnight with enough cold packs or dry ice to maintain specimens at proper temperature until arrival at DSHS Laboratory.
• Ship according to Dangerous Good Regulations, IATA, and/or CFR 49.
• Handle as infectious agent using universal precautions.
• Ship triple-contained in accordance with federal shipping regulations for infectious agents.
• Ship Monday-Thursday; avoid Friday and weekend deliveries.
• Ship cold specimens overnight on ice packs if arriving at laboratory within 7 days from collection. 
• Ship frozen specimens overnight on dry ice or on ice packs.
• Specimens must be received cold/frozen by the laboratory.   
• Consider freezing serum transport tubes prior to shipping during high temperature months.

• Two patient-specific identifiers not met
• Specimen received at ambient temperature due to inadequate/no ice packs.
• Specimen too old.
• Specimen was received at improper temperature
• No specimen included with submission form.
• Submission form not included with specimen.
• Specimen tube broken/leaked in transit.
• Demographic information is missing or incorrect.
• Specimen identification is missing or incorrect.
• Whole blood was received.
• Hemolysis
• Specimen is collected in an expired blood collection tube.
• No test specified.
• Red top tubes have not had serum poured over to a transport tube.
• Frozen gold top tube.
• Courier failure.

Reference Range:

• Children/adolescents (<20 years): <170 mg/dL
• Young adults (20-24 years): <190 mg/dL
• Adults: <200 mg/dL

Contact:

• Telephone: 512-776-6236 or 512-776-2628
• Fax: 512-776-7221
• Email: ClinicalChemistry@dshs.texas.gov