Comparison of Three Blood Collection Tubes for 35 Biochemical Analytes: The Becton Dickinson Barricor Tube, Serum Separating Tube, and Plasma Separating Tube.
Author(s): Shin S, Oh J, Park HD
Publication: Ann Lab Med, 2021, Vol. 41, Page 114-119
PubMed ID: 32829587 PubMed Review Paper? No
Purpose of Paper
This paper compared the levels of 35 analytes in blood collected from healthy patients in Barricor tubes to matched blood collected in Vacutainer Serum Separating Tubes II (SSTII) and plasma Separating Tubes (PST).
Conclusion of Paper
A lower percentage of specimens in Barricor tubes required manual removal of gel globules or fibrin after centrifugation than SST specimens and the average turn-around time was faster for Barricor tubes than either SST or PST. The desired bias limit was exceeded in specimens in Barricor tubes for lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), albumin, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), calcium, glucose, potassium, phosphorus, sodium, total protein, folate, and free thyroxine when compared to the SST specimen but only AST, calcium, carbon dioxide (CO2), and LDH exceeded the desired bias limit when compared to the PST specimen. Importantly, the bias in albumin, iron, LDH, phosphorous, and ferritin in Barricor tubes exceeded the desirable bias at one or more medical decision points but only the bias in LDH was greater than the desirable bias at all medical decision points compared to both the SST and PST specimens.
Studies
-
Study Purpose
This study compared the levels of 35 analytes in blood collected from healthy patients in Barricor tubes to matched blood collected in Vacutainer Serum Separating Tubes II (SSTII) and Plasma Separating Tubes (PST). Blood from 30 healthy patients was drawn in random order into Barricor, Vacutainer SST II, and Vacutainer PST tubes. Blood in SSTs was allowed to clot for 30 minutes before centrifugation at 2,000 × g for 10 minutes at 25°C. Blood in Barricor tubes and PSTs was centrifuged immediately after blood collection at 1,300 × g for 10 minutes at 25°C. Blood in PSTs was centrifuged immediately after blood collection 3,500 × g for 5 minutes at 25°C. Levels of 27 clinical chemistry analytes were measured using a Roche Cobas c702 chemistry analyzer. Levels of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and creatine kinase-myocardial band (CK-MB) were measured with an ADVIA Centaur XP Immunoassay System. Turnaround time was recorded for each step in the process. Results for the specimens in SSTII and PST were compared to Barricor tubes. Percent bias was calculated using a Passing-Bablok slope of zero or one outside the 95% confidence interval and compared to the desired bias from the Westgard database. Clinical significance was based on the lower of the desirable biological variation database or total allowable error according to the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) criteria.
Summary of Findings:
A lower percentage of specimens in Barricor tubes required manual removal of gel globules or fibrin after centrifugation than SST tubes. The average turnaround time was faster for Barricor tubes than either SST or PST (8.8 min versus 43.6 min and 13.8 min, respectively) which the authors attribute to no coagulation time and shorter centrifugation. The desired bias limit was exceeded in specimens in Barricor tubes for LDH (-10.29), albumin (-1.9%), aspartate aminotransferase (-6.75%), calcium (-1.46%), glucose (4.78%), potassium (-4.41%), phosphorus (-5.69%), sodium (-0.21%), total protein (1.94%), folate (45.13%), and free thyroxine (5.31%) when compared to the SST specimen, but only AST (8.82%), calcium (-1.16%), CO2 (-3.23%), and LDH (-9.86%) exceeded the desired bias limit when compared to the PST specimen. Importantly, the bias in albumin, iron, LDH, phosphorous, and ferritin in Barricor tubes exceeded the desirable bias at one or more medical decision points but only the bias in LDH was greater than the desirable bias at all medical decision points compared to both the SST and PST specimens.
Biospecimens
Preservative Types
- None (Fresh)
Diagnoses:
- Normal
Platform:
Analyte Technology Platform Carbohydrate Clinical chemistry/auto analyzer Electrolyte/Metal Clinical chemistry/auto analyzer Gas Clinical chemistry/auto analyzer Glycoprotein Immunoassay Protein Clinical chemistry/auto analyzer Protein Immunoassay Peptide Clinical chemistry/auto analyzer Peptide Immunoassay Small molecule Clinical chemistry/auto analyzer Small molecule Immunoassay Lipid Clinical chemistry/auto analyzer Steroid Clinical chemistry/auto analyzer Pre-analytical Factors:
Classification Pre-analytical Factor Value(s) Biospecimen Acquisition Type of collection container/solution Barricor tube
Vacutainer SST II
Vacutainer PST Tube