Stability of Routine Biochemical Analytes in Whole Blood and Plasma From Lithium Heparin Gel Tubes During 6‐hr Storage

Background The stability of biochemical analytes has already been investigated, but results strongly differ depending on parameters, methodologies, and sample storage times. We investigated the stability for many biochemical parameters after different storage times of both whole blood and plasma, in order to define acceptable pre- and postcentrifugation delays in hospital laboratories. Methods Twenty-four analytes were measured (Modular® Roche analyzer) in plasma obtained from blood collected into lithium heparin gel tubes, after 2–6 hr of storage at room temperature either before (n = 28: stability in whole blood) or after (n = 21: stability in plasma) centrifugation. Variations in concentrations were expressed as mean bias from baseline, using the analytical change limit (ACL%) or the reference change value (RCV%) as acceptance limit. Results In tubes stored before centrifugation, mean plasma concentrations significantly decreased after 3 hr for phosphorus (–6.1% [95% CI: –7.4 to –4.7%]; ACL 4.62%) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH; –5.7% [95% CI: –7.4 to –4.1%]; ACL 5.17%), and slightly decreased after 6 hr for potassium (–2.9% [95% CI: –5.3 to –0.5%]; ACL 4.13%). In plasma stored after centrifugation, mean concentrations decreased after 6 hr for bicarbonates (–19.7% [95% CI: –22.9 to –16.5%]; ACL 15.4%), and moderately increased after 4 hr for LDH (+6.0% [95% CI: +4.3 to +7.6%]; ACL 5.17%). Based on RCV, all the analytes can be considered stable up to 6 hr, whether before or after centrifugation. Conclusion This study proposes acceptable delays for most biochemical tests on lithium heparin gel tubes arriving at the laboratory or needing to be reanalyzed.