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Homocysteine
MessageSRHC Clients:
- 1 yellow top tube--Place specimen in a refrigerator for 30 minutes after collection. Centrifuge specimen as soon as possible after complete clot formation. DO NOT PLACE GEL BARRIER TUBES IN AN ICE BATH as freezing may prevent gel from separating serum from cells.
- 1 red top tube (no gel)--Place the specimen in refrigerator or an ice bath for 30 minutes after collection. Centrifuge and transfer serum to transport tube.
- Transport refrigerated to SRHC same day as collected
Test Code
LAB93
Quest Code
31789
Alias/See Also
EPIC: LAB93
CPT Codes
83090
Preferred Specimen
1 mL serum
Minimum Volume
0.5 mL
Other Acceptable Specimens
Plasma collected in: Sodium heparin (green-top) tube or EDTA (lavender-top) tube
Instructions
Red-top tubes: Place the specimen in a refrigerator or ice bath for 30 minutes after collection. Centrifuge the specimen as soon as possible after complete clot formation has taken place.
Barrier gel separator tubes: Place the specimen in a refrigerator for 30 minutes after collection. Centrifuge the specimen as soon as possible after complete clot formation has taken place. Do not place barrier tubes in an ice bath as freezing may prevent the barrier gel from adequately separating serum from cells.
EDTA or heparin tubes: Place the specimen in a refrigerator or ice bath until the specimen can be centrifuged. Centrifuge the specimen as soon as possible and transfer the plasma to a plastic screw-capped vial.
Note: (Dark/royal blue-top) serum tube and (dark/royal blue-top) sodium heparin tubes are acceptable containers. Instruction for collecting blood in (dark/royal blue-top) serum tubes is similar to red-top or SS tubes or sodium heparin tubes.
Barrier gel separator tubes: Place the specimen in a refrigerator for 30 minutes after collection. Centrifuge the specimen as soon as possible after complete clot formation has taken place. Do not place barrier tubes in an ice bath as freezing may prevent the barrier gel from adequately separating serum from cells.
EDTA or heparin tubes: Place the specimen in a refrigerator or ice bath until the specimen can be centrifuged. Centrifuge the specimen as soon as possible and transfer the plasma to a plastic screw-capped vial.
Note: (Dark/royal blue-top) serum tube and (dark/royal blue-top) sodium heparin tubes are acceptable containers. Instruction for collecting blood in (dark/royal blue-top) serum tubes is similar to red-top or SS tubes or sodium heparin tubes.
Transport Container
No additive (red-top)
Transport Temperature
Refrigerated, stable 14 days
Specimen Stability
Room temperature: 4 days
Refrigerated: 14 days
Frozen: 6 months
Refrigerated: 14 days
Frozen: 6 months
Reject Criteria (Eg, hemolysis? Lipemia? Thaw/Other?)
Gross hemolysis • Grossly lipemic • Unseparated serum or plasma • Whole blood specimens
Methodology
Enzymatic
Setup Schedule
Set up: Mon-Fri; Report available: 2-4 days
Reference Range
| Age | Male (umol/L) | Female (umol/L) |
| 0-1 years | Not Established | Not Established |
| 2-9 years | ≤7.6 | ≤7.6 |
| 10-14 years | ≤9.7 | ≤8.4 |
| 15-17 years | ≤11.3 | ≤10.2 |
| 18-29 years | ≤12.9 | ≤10.9 |
| 30-49 years | ≤13.5 | ≤11.0 |
| >49 years | ≤15.2 | ≤13.4 |
Clinical Significance
An elevated concentration of homocysteine is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. When used in conjunction with methylmalonic acid (MMA), these tests are useful to diagnose and monitor vitamin B12 (cobalamin) and folic acid deficiency and are often useful in evaluating macrocytosis (an elevated MCV, an erythrocytic index).
Performing Laboratory
Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute
14225 Newbrook Drive
Chantilly, VA 20153
