Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Seasonal pseudohyperkalaemia.

D Sinclair1, P Briston, R Young

  • 1Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth, Hampshire PO6 3LY, UK. david.sinclair@porthosp.nhs.uk

Journal of Clinical Pathology
|April 30, 2003
PubMed
Summary

Ambient temperature significantly impacts serum potassium levels in primary care samples. Cold weather increases potassium, while warm weather decreases it, affecting lab results during transport.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Search for Double Beta Decays of ^{134}Xe with EXO-200 Phase II.

Physical review letters·2026
Same author

Results from the Baksan Experiment on Sterile Transitions (BEST).

Physical review letters·2022
Same author

First Direct Detection Constraints on Planck-Scale Mass Dark Matter with Multiple-Scatter Signatures Using the DEAP-3600 Detector.

Physical review letters·2022
Same author

Pulse-shape discrimination against low-energy Ar-39 beta decays in liquid argon with 4.5 tonne-years of DEAP-3600 data.

The European physical journal. C, Particles and fields·2021
Same author

Partnering with survivors & families to determine research priorities for adult out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: A James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnership.

Resuscitation plus·2021
Same author

Measurement of the Spectral Shape of the β-Decay of ^{137}Xe to the Ground State of ^{137}Cs in EXO-200 and Comparison with Theory.

Physical review letters·2020

Area of Science:

  • Clinical Chemistry
  • Environmental Health
  • Laboratory Medicine

Background:

  • Serum potassium levels are critical for diagnosing various health conditions.
  • Accurate potassium measurement is essential for effective patient management.
  • Variations in sample handling can influence laboratory test results.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the relationship between ambient temperature and serum potassium concentrations.
  • To determine if temperature fluctuations during sample transport affect potassium measurements in primary care settings.

Main Methods:

  • Serum samples from general practice and hospital wards were analyzed over two years.
  • Potassium concentrations were measured using serum from gel separator samples.
  • Monthly sample analysis from general practice ranged from 5093 to 8978 specimens.

Main Results:

  • A significant inverse correlation was observed between ambient temperature and serum potassium levels in general practice samples.
  • Mean daily serum potassium concentrations increased during colder winter months and decreased during warmer summer months.
  • This temperature-dependent effect was specific to primary care samples and not observed in inpatient samples.

Conclusions:

  • Ambient temperature variations during sample transport profoundly influence measured serum potassium concentrations.
  • The findings highlight the need for temperature-controlled sample transport to ensure accurate potassium level reporting from primary care.
  • This study underscores the importance of considering pre-analytical factors in laboratory diagnostics.

Related Experiment Videos