One 4.5 mL light blue top tube (sodium citrate). Collect by careful venipuncture to avoid tissue fluid contamination or hemolysis. Do not use needles smaller than 23 gauge. Fill tube to maximum draw, at least 90% full. Mix by gentle inversion. When drawing from heparin lines, draw slowly and discard at least 10 mL of blood to clear before drawing specimen. Test reagent contains a specific heparin inhibitor, and heparin will not interfere with this assay at normal therapeutic levels.
Handling:
Refrigerate and keep capped in original tube if specimen will be received in the laboratory within 4 hours. If not, centrifuge and transfer to a plastic tube and freeze immediately.
Standard Volume:
5 mL whole blood or 2 mL plasma.
Minimum Volume:
1.8 mL whole blood or 0.5 mL plasma.
Transport:
Original tubes refrigerated if received at the laboratory within 4 hours, or plasma frozen on dry ice.
Rejection Criteria:
Serum; visible fibrin; moderate to marked hemolysis; refrigerated specimen received at laboratory more than 4 hours after collection.
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