Stability of creatinine and cystatin C in whole blood.
Author(s): Spithoven EM, Bakker SJ, Kootstra-Ros JE, de Jong PE, Gansevoort RT
Publication: Clin Biochem, 2013, Vol. 46(15), Page 1611-4
PubMed ID: 23830842 PubMed Review Paper? No
Purpose of Paper
The purpose of this paper was to determine the effects of storage of whole blood at 4 degrees C or shipping and storing whole blood at room temperature prior to centrifugation on levels of creatinine and cystatin C and the resulting estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in lithium heparin plasma.
Conclusion of Paper
There was no effect of storing whole blood at 4 degrees C for up to 48 h or shipping blood and storing it at room temperature for up to 48 h before centrifugation on levels of cystatin C or creatinine and eGFR in lithium heparin plasma. When whole blood was shipped and stored for 72 h at room temperature prior to separation of the plasma, clinically relevant decreases in eGFR (based on creatinine) and increases in cystatin C in patients with chronic kidney disease or those on dialysis were observed, but eGFR based on creatinine and cystatin C was unaffected.
Studies
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Study Purpose
The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of pre-centrifugation storage of whole blood at 4 degrees C or shipping and storing whole blood at room temperature on levels of creatinine and cystatin C and the resulting eGFR in lithium heparin plasma. During storage at room temperature, specimens were shipped overnight with an ambient temperature of 15-25 degrees C while whole blood stored at 4 degrees C was not shipped.
Summary of Findings:
There was no effect of storing whole blood at 4 degrees C for up to 48 h or shipping blood and storing it at room temperature for up to 48 h before centrifugation on levels of cystatin C or creatinine in lithium heparin plasma. While the decreases in creatinine levels in plasma observed when whole blood was shipped and stored at room temperature for 72 h prior to centrifugation were not clinically relevant, they did cause a clinically relevant increase in the eGFR when it was based on creatinine levels. However, when whole blood was shipped and stored for 72 h at room temperature prior to separation of plasma, cystatin C levels in plasma increased by more than 3.9% in specimens from chronic kidney disease and pre-dialysis patients, but this increase did not have a clinically significant effect on eGFR based on cystatin C. Further, eGFR calculated using both cystatin C and creatinine was unaffected by storing whole blood up to 72 h at 4 degrees C or 72 h of combined shipment and room temperature storage before separation of plasma.
Biospecimens
Preservative Types
- None (Fresh)
Diagnoses:
- Normal
- Other diagnoses
Platform:
Analyte Technology Platform Peptide Clinical chemistry/auto analyzer Small molecule Clinical chemistry/auto analyzer Pre-analytical Factors:
Classification Pre-analytical Factor Value(s) Storage Storage duration 0 h
24 h
48 h
72 h
Storage Storage temperature 4 degrees C
Room temperature
Storage Between site transportation method Mailed
Not transported
Preaquisition Diagnosis/ patient condition Dialysis patient
Normal
Chronic kidney disease
Biospecimen Aliquots and Components Centrifugation Centrifugation delays investigated