Haematology

Name

Alternative name/Profile

Department

Investigation

Specimen type

Sample type

Sample container & volume

Frequency of analysis

Turnaround time

Availability

Notes

Essential Sample Processing Requirements:

Inpatients: EDTA sample must be sent immediately to the laboratory on ice within 1 hour of collection.

External Sources: EDTA sample must be sent immediately to own hospital laboratory on ice within 1 hour of collection. Plasma must then be separated immediately and transported to St James' Hospital on ice on the same day. Do not send frozen plasma.

GP Requests: Please refer patient to St James' Hospital phlebotomy for specimen collection due to sample stability requirements.

This assay is now run on the Abbott Alinity platform. Please note new reference range.

Limitations:

• The following drugs may elevate levels of homocysteine: methotrexate, carbamazepine, phenytoin, nitrous oxide, anticonvulsants and 6-azauridine triacetate. The mechanism of action of these drugs affects different parts of the metabolic pathway of homocysteine.
•  S-adenosyl-methionine is an antidepressant whose molecular form is similar to S-adenosyl-homocysteine. This drug may interfere with the Alinity i Homocysteine assay.
• Specimens from patients who have received preparations of mouse monoclonal antibodies for diagnosis or therapy may contain human anti-mouse antibodies (HAMA). Such specimens may show either falsely elevated or depressed values when tested with assay kits such as Alinity Homocysteine that employ mouse monoclonal antibodies. Additional information may be required for diagnosis.
• Heterophilic antibodies in human specimens can react with reagent immunoglobulins, interfering with in vitro immunoassays. Patients routinely exposed to animals or to animal serum products can be prone to this interference and anomalous values may be observed. Additional information may be required for diagnosis.

Please contact the laboratory 01 4162012 for further information regarding limitations to this assay.

Related links

Reference range

Female 4.4- 13.6 µmol/L

Male 5.5- 16.2 µmol/L

Last updated

Thu, 13 Mar 2025 07:58:11 GMT