Simke Demeester, Katrien Lanckmans, Peter Heyvaert, Ilse Weets and Manuella Martin
Objectives: We compared the stability of 21 routine chemistry parameters (albumin, ALP, ALT, AST, bicarbonate, bilirubin, chloride, cholesterol, CK, GGT, glucose, HDL, LDH, creatinine, lipase, potassium, sodium, protein, transferrin, triglycerides, urea) in the BD Barricor™ lithium-heparin plasma tube, recently developed by Becton, Dickinson and Company, versus the S-Monovette® LH tube from Sarstedt, routinely used in the University Hospital Brussels of the Brussels Free University.
Methods: Forty paired plasma samples from healthy volunteers were analyzed on the Ortho VITROS 4600 Chemistry System up to 7 days after collection. Differences between tubes and over time were compared respecting the Ricos criteria.
Results: None of the parameters showed clinical significant differences between the tubes at baseline. For albumin, cholesterol and lipase, difference vs. baseline were within the predefined criteria up to 72 h in the BD Barricor™ tube (vs. 48 h in the S-Monovette® tube); for AST 7 days (vs. 48 h); for LDH 72 h (vs. 24 h); for potassium and transferrin 24 h (vs. 6 h). Measurement of GGT fulfills the criterion up to 72 h in the BD Barricor™ tube vs. 7 days in the S-Monovette® tube.
Conclusions: 13 parameters (ALP, ALT, bicarbonate, total bilirubin, chloride, CK, creatinine, glucose, HDL, sodium, total protein, triglyceride, urea) showed equal stability in both blood collection tubes; 7 parameters (albumin, AST, total cholesterol, LDH, lipase, potassium, transferrin) showed better stability in the BD Barricor™ tube. Only GGT had a longer stability in the S-Monovette® tube. This observation creates some perspectives for use of this new Barricor™ tube in clinical laboratories.