Blood cholesterol concentration: fingerstick plasma vs venous serum sampling.

Author(s): Greenland P, Bowley NL, Meiklejohn B, Doane KL, Sparks CE

Publication: Clin Chem, 1990, Vol. 36, Page 628-30

PubMed ID: 2323042 PubMed Review Paper? No

Purpose of Paper

Conclusion of Paper

Studies

1. Study Purpose

   The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of collecting fingerstick plasma rather than venous serum and transferring venous serum to a capillary tube on cholesterol levels. Fingerstick specimens were collected in capillary tubes with heparin and centrifuged within 5 min while venous serum was allowed to clot in glass tubes without anticoagulant for 30 min. After centrifugation, plasma and serum were refrigerated on ice for up to 3 h before analysis, at which point an aliquot of the serum was transferred to a capillary tube.

   Summary of Findings:

   Cholesterol levels in fingerstick plasma were highly correlated with levels in venous serum prior to (r=0.95) and after transfer to a capillary tube (r=0.95), however, cholesterol levels were higher in the fingerstick plasma, with a mean bias of 3.6% compared to venous serum in a glass tube, and 2.4% compared to venous serum in a capillary tube. The amount of the bias was inversely proportional to the cholesterol levels. Cholesterol levels were highly correlated between venous serum specimens before and after transfer to a capillary tube (r=0.98), but there was a 1.1% positive bias in the specimens transferred to the capillary tube.

   Biospecimens

   • Bodily Fluid - Plasma
   • Bodily Fluid - Serum
   • Bodily Fluid - Blood

   Preservative Types

   • Other Preservative
   • None (Fresh)

   Diagnoses:

   • Not specified

   Platform:

   Analyte	Technology Platform
   Steroid	Clinical chemistry/auto analyzer

   Pre-analytical Factors:

   Classification	Pre-analytical Factor	Value(s)
   Biospecimen Acquisition	Method of fluid acquisition	Finger/heel prick sampling Venipuncture
   Biospecimen Aliquots and Components	Blood and blood products	Serum Plasma
   Storage	Type of storage container	Glass tube Capillary tube
   Biospecimen Acquisition	Anatomical location of blood draw	Capillary Vein

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