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Planned variation in preanalytical conditions to evaluate biospecimen stability in the National Children's Study

Leah Mechanic, Armando Mendez, Lori Merrill

    Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine
    |August 9, 2013
    PubMed

    Insights

    Preanalytical sample handling impacts some lab results. Delays in centrifugation decreased interleukin-6 and insulin, while freezing delays increased adrenocorticotropic hormone levels. This ensures high-quality biospecimens for research.

    Area of Science:

    • Clinical Chemistry
    • Biochemistry
    • Laboratory Medicine

    Background:

    • Preanalytical conditions significantly affect biospecimen integrity and laboratory test results.
    • The National Children's Study (NCS) requires robust procedures for collecting, processing, and storing biospecimens for a large prospective cohort study.
    • Uncertainty existed regarding the impact of deviations from NCS procedures on specific analyte measurements.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To evaluate the influence of preanalytical sample handling variations on the stability of key analytes.
    • To inform the development of standardized operating procedures for the National Children's Study.
    • To ensure the reliability and accuracy of laboratory results for future research.

    Main Methods:

    • A pilot study assessed the effects of centrifugation delays, freezing delays, and other handling conditions on eight analytes.
    • 15 unique analyte and handling condition combinations were tested using blood from 151 women of childbearing age.
    • A total of 2825 measurements were analyzed to determine analyte stability.

    Main Results:

    • Most analytes demonstrated stability under the tested preanalytical conditions.
    • Plasma interleukin-6 and serum insulin levels decreased with centrifugation delays up to 5.5 hours post-collection.
    • Adrenocorticotropic hormone levels increased when plasma samples were frozen after delays of 24, 48, or 72 hours.

    Conclusions:

    • Understanding analyte stability in response to preanalytical variations is crucial for ensuring high-quality biospecimens.
    • These findings guide the refinement of NCS procedures for biospecimen collection, processing, and storage.
    • The results aid in the accurate measurement and interpretation of laboratory data for the National Children's Study.
    Abstract

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