The problem with ammonia on a U&E sample is that you need to ensure the sample is not too old.
We were, at one time, rejecting 50% of our ammonia samples because they were too old on receipt.
We now insist on a special sample for ammonia. What's special about this sample is that it is a normal Li heparin tube with a distinctive coloured label chosen by a poll of labs staff as the most obvious colour. They have to pick up the tube from the lab so we note the time the tube is collected and the requesters must note the time of collection. The label states that the tube must be in the lab no later than 20 minutes after the blood is collected. I know that ammonia is more stable than this but it ensures quick delivery of the sample.
Ammonia samples have a unique suffix to prevent accidental sampling of the test from a routine sample received at the same time.
Since this system started we have not rejected any ammonia samples.
Mike Collins
BMS3
Biochemistry Automation
Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital
England
[log in to unmask]
http://www.nnuh.nhs.uk/
-----Original Message-----
From: Clinical biochemistry discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Cowley, David
Sent: 21 June 2012 19:29
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: ammonia assay Roche platforms
Hi Paul,
We have run ammonias successfully for many years on LiH samples on a Vitros platform. You have to spin the sample hard enough to make platelet poor plasma (there is a lot of ammonia in platelets). You can check you are acheiving this by doing plasma platelet counts on the haematology analyser. The routine spin for U and E is usually not hard enough to get rid of the platelets.
Kind regards
Dr David Cowley
Director of Chemical Pathology
Mater Health Services Brisbane
________________________________________
From: Clinical biochemistry discussion list [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Paul Thomas [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, 20 June 2012 10:17 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: ammonia assay Roche platforms
Roche recommend K-EDTA plasma for ammonia assays, does anybody have any experience or evaluation data on lithium heparin plasma? It would be much easier to run it on the U&E sample.
Thank you for your help
Paul
------ACB discussion List Information--------
This is an open discussion list for the academic and clinical community working in clinical biochemistry.
Please note, archived messages are public and can be viewed via the internet. Views expressed are those of the individual and they are responsible for all message content.
ACB Web Site
http://www.acb.org.uk
Green Laboratories Work
http://www.laboratorymedicine.nhs.uk
List Archives
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/ACB-CLIN-CHEM-GEN.html
List Instructions (How to leave etc.)
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/
This e-mail, together with any attachments, is confidential and intended for the named recipient(s) only. If you are not the intended recipient or have received this message in error, you are asked to immediately notify the sender and delete this message and any copies of this message from your computer system network and destroy any printed copies of this email. Any form of unauthorised disclosure, modification, distribution, publication or use of this e-mail message is prohibited.
------ACB discussion List Information--------
This is an open discussion list for the academic and clinical community working in clinical biochemistry.
Please note, archived messages are public and can be viewed via the internet. Views expressed are those of the individual and they are responsible for all message content.
ACB Web Site
http://www.acb.org.uk
Green Laboratories Work
http://www.laboratorymedicine.nhs.uk
List Archives
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/ACB-CLIN-CHEM-GEN.html
List Instructions (How to leave etc.)
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/
This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom
they are addressed.
If you have received this email in error please notify the originator of the message. This footer also confirms that this
email message has been scanned for the presence of computer viruses but this should not be relied upon as a guarantee that the contents are virus free.
Any views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender, except where the sender specifies and with authority,
states them to be the views of the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The information contained in this e-mail may be subject to public disclosure
under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Unless the information is legally exempt from disclosure, the confidentiality of this e-mail and your reply cannot be guaranteed
------ACB discussion List Information--------
This is an open discussion list for the academic and clinical community working in clinical biochemistry.
Please note, archived messages are public and can be viewed via the internet. Views expressed are those of the individual and they are responsible for all message content.
ACB Web Site
http://www.acb.org.uk
Green Laboratories Work
http://www.laboratorymedicine.nhs.uk
List Archives
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/ACB-CLIN-CHEM-GEN.html
List Instructions (How to leave etc.)
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/
|