Amino Acids
Collection Restrictions
Except for emergent or critically ill children, the patient must be fasting prior to specimen collection
Age (months) | Fasting Times (hours) |
---|---|
0-6 | 3 |
7-24 | 6 |
>24 | 8-12 |
Collection Requirements
Source: blood
Container(s):
- Preferred: Lithium heparin mint green gel
- Acceptable: Red
Volume: 2 mL in vacutainer
Source: urine
Container: Sterile cup
Volume: 3 mL in sterile cup
Source: CSF
Container: Sterile cup
Volume: 1 mL in sterile cup
Special Instructions
Orders for CSF should be accompanied by a blood specimen to facilitate interpretation.
Turn Around Time
1-7 days
Testing performed Monday-Friday
Reports with interpretations are released each Friday
Specimen must be received in the Toxicology Lab by 12:00 p.m. Thursday to be reported out on Friday
Availability
Routine
Lab Processing Instructions
Specimen: plasma or serum
Spin, separate, and immediately refrigerate
Specimen: urine or CSF
Refrigerate
Performing Laboratory
Adele Hall
Adele Hall Lab Section
Biochemical Genetics
Instrumentation/Methodology
Ion Exchange Chromatography Quantitation
Additional Information
Quantitation of amino acids is used to detect inborn errors of metabolism such as Tyrosemia, PKU, MSUD urea cycle defects, Fanconi Syndrome, Lowe Syndrome, Cystinuria, Hartnup disease, non-ketotic hyperglycemia, and many others.
Reference Ranges
See interpretative report
CPT
82139