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HelpEpic Test Code LAB46 Ethanol: Medical Specimen
Performing Location(s)
BMC,CRH,LFH,OCH,FTT,FOX
Specimen Type
Serum or Plasma
Preferred Container
Gold or Red Top (if drawn at outreach site, only a gold top is acceptable, see Storage Requirements)
Patient Preparation:
Use non-alcohol germicidal solution to cleanse the skin.
Alternate Container
Green top tube
Blood Tube Draw Volume
Min 50% draw volume
Minimum Volume to Submit for Testing
0.5 mL Serum or Plasma
Transportation Needs
Deliver specimen to laboratory within 1 hour of collection if unspun. If not possible see "storage Requirements".
Storage Requirements
Instruction for handling specimens at Outreach sites:
Collect in Gold (SST) top tube
Centrifuge specimen within 2 hours of collection, do not aliquot
See Causes of Rejection for temperature requirements.
Causes for Rejection
Mislabeled or unlabeled specimen
Less than 50% draw for Vacutainer tubes
>3 day Refrigerated
>3 days Frozen
Hemolysis > 1000 mg/dL HgB
Lipemia > 1500 mg/dL Trig
Bilirubin > 80 mg/dL Bili
No Add-ons
Limitations
Other alcohols at very high concentrations can cause significant interference with the alcohol dehydrogenase
Reference Values
| Population | Units | Reference Range | High Critical Value |
| All populations | mg/dl | <10 (negative) | >300 |
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Results less than the lower limit of detection (<10 mg/dL) are considered negative. |
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Note: NYS Legal Limit = 80 mg/dL or 0.08% |
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Days of Analysis
All
Available STAT
Yes
Additional Information
This test is for medical use only and is not to be used for legal specimens/purposes
Contraindications:
Alcohol containing swabs MUST NOT be used to prepare the venipuncture site
Patient Preparation:
Use non-alcohol germicidal solution to cleanse the skin.
Methodology
Beckman AU/Dx Series
CPT Code
80320
Last Updated
27-NOV-24 MS