Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 10, 2025

Evaluation of Oxidative Stress in Biological Samples Using the Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances Assay
Published on: May 12, 2020
The impact of pre-analytical variations on biochemical analytes stability: A systematic review
Mehdi Hedayati1, S Adeleh Razavi1,2, Seti Boroomand3
1Cellular and Molecular Endocrine Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Objective:
A common problem in clinical laboratories is maintaining the stability of analytes during pre-analytical processes. The aim of this study was to systematically summarize the results of a set of studies about the biochemical analytes stability.
Methods:
A literature search was performed on the Advanced search field of PubMed using the keywords: "(stability) AND (analytes OR laboratory analytes OR laboratory tests OR biochemical analytes OR biochemical tests OR biochemical laboratory tests)." A total of 56 entries were obtained. After applying the selection criteria, 20 articles were included in the study.
Results:
In the 20 included references, up to 123 different analytes were assessed. The 34 analytes in order of the most frequently studied analytes were evaluated: Alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, potassium, triglyceride, alkaline phosphatase, creatinine, total cholesterol, albumin, lactate dehydrogenase, sodium, calcium, γ-glutamyltransferase, total bilirubin, urea, creatine kinase, inorganic phosphate, total protein, uric acid, amylase, chloride, high-density lipoprotein, magnesium, glucose, C-reactive protein, bicarbonate, ferritin, iron, lipase, transferrin, cobalamin, cortisol, folate, free thyroxine, and thyroid-stimulating hormone. Stable test results could be varied between 2 hours and 1 week according to the type of samples and/or type of blood collection tubes on a basic classification set as refrigerated or room temperature.
Conclusions:
Biochemical analytes stability could be improved if the best pre-analytical approaches are used.
Related Concept Videos
Data Validation
Key parameters for method validation include:
Pharmaceutical Alternatives: Stability-Related Therapeutic Nonequivalence
Systematic Error: Methodological and Sampling Errors
Sampling errors originate from improper sampling methods or the wrong sample population. These errors can be minimized by refining the sampling strategy. Defective instruments or faulty calibrations are the sources of instrumental...
Development of Analytical Methods
Drug Product Stability
Bioavailability Study Design: Healthy Subjects Versus Patients

