Specimen:

Plasma

Collection Medium:

Alternate
Collection Media:

Call laboratory for additional acceptable specimen collection 
containers.

Minimum:

2 ml whole blood from light green top tube or two 0.6 ml microtubes

Testing
Schedule:

24 hrs/day, 7 days a week, including holidays.

Analytic Time:

2 hours (upon receipt in laboratory)

Reference Range:

< 130- mg/dl

Comments:

Fasting sample requested.  Non-fasting sample can be used, but they are 
slighly lower than fasting results.  Coorelation between calculated LDL 
and measured LDL is very good.  Measured can be used for LDL (measured) 
non-fasting samples with Triglycerides > 400 mg/dl.

Effective 2/20/06:  If the triglyceride value is less than 400 md/dL, 
the measured LDL cholesterol order will be canceled.

Please print, complete and submit the Advance Beneficiary Notice 
(ABN) along with the Laboratory Requisition before shipping the 
specimen.

Test
Limitations:

In rare cases, elevated immunoglobulin concentrations cause falsely 
elevated LDL values.

Methodology:

Enzymatic

Sample
Processing:

Centrifuge within one hour of draw time.
Centrifuge at 3000 RPM for 10 minutes.
Aliquot plasma into labeled container and cap.

Sample
Storage:

Refrigerate up to 72 hours.

Transport
Instructions:

Place requisition into outside pocket of bag.
Place specimen into zip-lock type bag, seal bag.
Place coolant packs into styrofoam container.
Coolant packs up to 8 hours.

CPT Code:

83721

See also:
Cholesterol, Low-Density Lipoprotein (calculated), Plasma

See Additional Information:
Fasting Specimen Requirements