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Glucagon
Test Code519
CPT Codes
82943
Preferred Specimen
2 mL plasma collected in an EDTA (lavender-top) tube
Patient Preparation
Overnight fasting is required
Minimum Volume
0.5 mL
Instructions
Collect EDTA plasma, invert several times to mix, centrifuge, and immediately transfer the plasma into a clean, plastic screw-cap vial and freeze. There should be no delay in freezing as the analyte is very unstable and samples must be kept frozen until testing.
Transport Temperature
Frozen
Specimen Stability
Room temperature: Unacceptable
Refrigerated: 2 hours
Frozen: 28 days
Refrigerated: 2 hours
Frozen: 28 days
Reject Criteria (Eg, hemolysis? Lipemia? Thaw/Other?)
Gross hemolysis • Received refrigerated • Received room temperature
Methodology
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Immunoassay (ELISA)
Setup Schedule
A.M.
Clinical Significance
The glucagon assay is useful primarily when considering a glucagon-secreting tumor of the pancreas. Glucagonomas cause an unusual but characteristic syndrome consisting of a rash, mild diabetes, weight loss and hypoamninoacidemia. Measurement of plasma glucagon confirms the diagnosis; glucagon levels are very high in the setting of glucagonoma.