Catecholamines, Fractionated, 24-Hour Urine with Creatinine : 1016531

UCAT24 or 1016531

Adrenaline, Catecholamines with Creatinine, Catecholamines, Free, Dopamine, Epinephrine, Noradrenaline, Norepinephrine

Includes: Creatinine, Norepinephrine, Epinephrine, Dopamine, and Total Catecholamines (calculated)

It is preferable for the patient to be off medications for three days prior to collection. However, common antihypertensives (diuretics, ACE inhibitors, calcium channel blockers, alpha and beta blockers) cause minimal or no interference. Patient should avoid alcohol, coffee, tea, tobacco and strenuous exercise prior to collection.

Colledt 24-hour urine. Refrigerate 24-hour specimen during collection.

Transport 10 mL aliquot from a well-mixed 24-hour collection, (Min: 5 mL).  Keep refrigerated. Record  24-hour total volume on transport container and test request form.
  
If transported to the laboratory on the same day of the completion of collection, transport refrigerated.
  
If transport is delayed beyond 24 hours of completion of collection, see below alternate processing/transportation instructions:
        A. After urine collection, add 6N HCl to maintain a pH < or = 3. Transport 10 mL aliquot of  pH adjusted  ( < or = pH 3) urine, refrigerated.
          OR
       B.  If 6N HCL is not available and urine pH is < or = 6, freeze  10 mL aliquot of urine and transport frozen.

Refrigerated or Frozen.

Keep refrigerated during collection. Transport ASAP.
    
After preservation with 6 N HCL to pH < or = 3:  Ambient: 7 days; Refrigerated: 30  days; Frozen: 49 days        
Unpreserved Urine with pH  < or = 6 :  Ambient: Unacceptable; Refrigerated: 30 days; Frozen 49 days   

Preserved urine received refrigerated with pH > 3; Unpreserved urine received frozen with pH > 6.

Monday - Friday

3-5 days (From receipt at performing laboratory)

Recent surgery, traumatic injury, upright posture, cold, anxiety, pain, clonidine withdrawal, and concurrent acute or chronic illness may produce elevated results.

This test was developed and its analytical performance characteristics have been determined by Quest Diagnostics. It has not been cleared or approved by FDA. This assay has been validated pursuant to the CLIA regulations and is used for clinical purposes.

Epinephrine 3-8 Years 1-7 mcg/24 h 9-12 Years ≤8 mcg/24 h 13-17 Years  ≤11 mcg/24 h Adults 2-24 mcg/24 h Norepinephrine 3-8 Years 5-41 mcg/24 h 9-12 Years 5-50 mcg/24 h 13-17 Years  12-88 mcg/24 h Adults 15-100 mcg/24 h Dopamine 3-8 Years 80-378 mcg/24 h 9-12 Years 51-474 mcg/24 h 13-17 Years  51-645 mcg/24 h Adults 52-480 mcg/24 h Total (N+E) 3-8 Years 9-51  mcg/24 h 9-12 Years 9-71 mcg/24 h 13-17 Years  13-90 mcg/24 h Adults  26-121 mcg/24 h Creatinine, 24-Hour Urine < 3 years Not established 3-8 Years 0.10-0.80 g/24 h 9-12 Years 0.20-1.40 g/24 h 13-17 Years  0.40-1.90  g/24 h > 17 Years  0.50-2.15 g/24 h

The three catecholamines (norepinephrine, epinephrine, and dopamine) are the principal secretory products of neural tissue. Clinically, the measurement of circulating catecholamines is valuable in the diagnosis of catecholamine secreting tumors associated chiefly with hypertension (pheochromocytomas, neuroblastomas, and gangliomas) and with the evaluation of orthostatic hypotension.