Catecholamines, Fractionated
Order Code: CATP
Epic Lab Code: LAB2807
Order Form: A-1a Miscellaneous Request or Epic Req
Commercial Mail-out Laboratory
6240 RCP
356-3527
Specimen:
Plasma
Collection Medium:
and
Green top tube 4 mL (Na Heparin) Green top tube 4 mL (Na Heparin)
Alternate Collection Media:
Light Green top tube (Lithium Heparin)
Minimum:
Adult preferred minimum: 4 mL plasma
   (suggest drawing TWO 4 mL Green top tubes)
Absolute Minimum: 2.1 mL plasma
Patient must be calm and supine for 30 minutes pre-collection.
Rejection Criteria:
EDTA plasma, serum or urine.
Delivery Instructions:
Mix well and place on wet ice. Keep on ice and deliver to laboratory immediately.
Specimen Instructions:
Patient should be calm and supine for 30 minutes prior to collection. Plasma must be separated from cells as soon as possible, within one hour of collection.
Analytic Time:
1 week upon receipt at reference laboratory
Reference Range:
Epinephrine 2-10 days 36-400 pg/mL 11 days-3 months 55-200 pg/mL 4-11 months 55-440 pg/mL 12-23 months 36-640 pg/mL 24-35 months 18-440 pg/mL 3-17 years 18-460 pg/mL 18 years and older 10-200 pg/mL Norepinephrine 2-10 days 170-1180 pg/m 11 days-3 months 370-2080 pg/m 4-11 months 270-1120 pg/mL 12-23 months 68-1810 pg/mL 24-35 months 170-1470 pg/mL 3-17 years 85-1250 pg/m 18 years and older 80-520 pg/mL Dopamine 2 days and older: 0-20 pg/mL
Interpretive Data:
Small increases in catecholamines (less than 2 times the upper reference limit) are usually the result of physiological stimuli, drugs, or improper specimen collection. Significant elevation of one or more catecholamines (2 or more times the upper reference limit) is associated with an increased probability of a neuroendocrine tumor. Measurement of plasma or urine fractionated metanephrines provides better diagnostic sensitivity than measurement of catecholamines.
Comments:
Medications which may interfere with catecholamines and metabolites include amphetamines and amphetamine-like compounds, appetite suppressants, bromocriptine, buspirone, caffeine, carbidopa-levodopa (Sinemet), clonidine, dexamethasone, diuretics (in doses sufficient to deplete sodium), ethanol, isoproterenol, labetalol, methyldopa (Aldomet), MAO inhibitors, nicotine, nose drops, propafenone (Rythmol), reserpine, theophylline, tricyclic antidepressants, and vasodilators. The effects of drugs on catecholamine results may not be predictable.

For optimum results, patient should be supine for 30 minutes prior to collection. "Upright" ranges show epinephrine up to 900 pg/mL, and norepinephrine up to 700 pg/mL.

Children, particularly those under 2 years of age, often show an elevated catecholamine response to stress.
Test Limitations:
Children, particularly those under two years of age, often show an elevated catecholamine response to stress.
Methodology:
High Performance Liquid Chromatography
CPT Code:
82384
 
See Additional Information:
Specimens Requiring Immediate Delivery