Test Details

• Discipline:

  Biochemistry

  Biochemistry

• Specimen Container Adult:

  Serum (SST or plain tube)

  Serum (SST or plain tube)

• Specimen Container Paediatric:

  Serum (SST or plain tube)

  Serum (SST or plain tube)

• Minimum Volume Adult:

  1 mL blood

  1 mL blood

• Minimum Volume Paediatric:

  0.5 mL blood

  0.5 mL blood

• Special Requirement:

  Sample to be collected at least four hours post ingestion of the paracetamol.

  Sample to be collected at least four hours post ingestion of the paracetamol.

• Sample Stability:

  Unseparated sample: unknown

  Separated sample: unknown at 15-25°C, 2 days at 2-4°C, 4 weeks at -20°C

   

  Unseparated sample: unknown

  Separated sample: unknown at 15-25°C, 2 days at 2-4°C, 4 weeks at -20°C

   

• Reference Ranges:

  Therapeutically the range varies but has been reported to be 10 – 30 mg/L.
  High concentrations of paracetamol metabolites or treatment with N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) may result in falsely DECREASED res...

  Therapeutically the range varies but has been reported to be 10 – 30 mg/L.
  High concentrations of paracetamol metabolites or treatment with N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) may result in falsely DECREASED results for creatinine, lactate, triglyceride, cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and uric acid.

  Read More

• Factors Affecting Result:

  Haemolysis, and some drugs interfere.
  N-acetylcysteine interferes to an unpredictable extent, to give lower concentrations than the true value. Interferences of 10 -20% are typical levels, but can ...

  Haemolysis, and some drugs interfere.
  N-acetylcysteine interferes to an unpredictable extent, to give lower concentrations than the true value. Interferences of 10 -20% are typical levels, but can be very much higher.

  Read More

• Other Info:

  Lithium heparin plasma sample also acceptable

  Lithium heparin plasma sample also acceptable

• Routine Contact Name:

  Duty Biochemist

• Routine Telephone:

  0191 282 9719

  0191 282 9719

• Routine Email:

  nuth.dutybiochemist@nhs.net