David,
This is the advice provided by one of my paediatric haematology colleagues.
We do a large number of FBC's on capillary blood and generally have very few problems in obtaining good quality results. We apply the same reference ranges to both capillary and venous blood although there will be minor differences they are not considered to be significant, and the literature does not specify sample related ranges.
Sample collection technique is of course extremely important and the most easily affected parameter is the platelet count. Platelets are more likely to be activated in a capillary specimen causing clumping and an apparent drop in platelet numbers. Most top of the range analysers will flag platelet clumps and prompt a blood film examination to prevent an erroneous result being issued.
Poor collection is also likely to concentrate the specimen and it is therefore important to obtain a "free flowing" capillary specimen for best results.
Regards
Paul
Paul Griffiths
Consultant Biochemist
Head of Department & Director of Newborn Screening
Clinical Chemistry
Birmingham Children's Hospital
Tel +44 (0)121 333 9923
-----Original Message-----
From: Clinical biochemistry discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of David Robertshaw
Sent: 12 April 2011 14:14
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Capillary FBC
Does anyone know of and have any experience of doing FBC on capillary blood. (As opposed to Hb only). Question has been asked of me by a Home Care nurse dealing with Cancer cases.
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