Vitamin C : 929

Message

Vitamin C is unstable at room temperature. Keep specimen cold and process and freeze ASAP.

Test Code

VITCQ or 929

Alias/See Also

Ascorbic Acid

CPT Codes
82180

Instructions

Overnight fasting is preferred. Patient should refrain from taking vitamin C supplements or fruits 24 hours prior to sample collection.

Plain red (foil wrapped) or green (no gel) (sodium heparin) (foil wrapped). Protect from light.

Transport Container

Protect from light. Allow foil wrapped plain red to clot refrigerated and centrifuge ASAP (within 1 hour). Immediately centrifuge the green top. After centrifugation, immediately aliquot 1 mL (Min: 0.5 mL) serum or plasma into an amber transport tube (preferred) or protect the transport tube from light with foil or place in an amber bag. Freeze immediately.

Transport Temperature

Frozen (dry ice).

Specimen Stability

Ambient: Unacceptable; Refrigerated: Unacceptable; Frozen: 35 days -70 or dry ice

Reject Criteria (Eg, hemolysis? Lipemia? Thaw/Other?)

Not light protected, EDTA plasma, Lithium heparin plasma, Thawed samples, Lipemic, Hemolysis, Received room temperature, Received refrigerated.

Methodology
Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry

Setup Schedule

Tuesday - Saturday

Report Available

3-4 days (From receipt at performing laboratory)

Limitations

This test was developed and its performance characteristics have been determined by Quest Diagnostics. Performance characteristics refer to the analytical performance of the test.

Reference Range

Effective 3-19-2018
Female 0.3-2.7 mg/dL
Male 0.2-2.1 mg/dL

Clinical Significance

Vitamin C is an antioxidant involved in connective tissue metabolism, drug-metabolizing systems, and mixed-function oxidase systems to list a few. Vitamin C deficiency causes scurvy; manifestations include impaired formation of mature connective tissue, bleeding into the skin, weakness, fatigue, and depression.

Performing Laboratory
Quest Diagnostics

The CPT Codes provided in this document are based on AMA guidelines and are for informational purposes only. CPT coding is the sole responsibility of the billing party. Please direct any questions regarding coding to the payor being billed. Any Profile/panel component may be ordered separately. Reflex tests are performed at an additional charge.