Serotonin

Label Mnemonic:	SERO
Epic code:	LAB121
Downtime form:	Doctor/Provider Orders - Pathology Core and Specialty Care Nursery

Commercial Mailout Laboratory
6240-8 RCP
356-8593

Specimen(s):

Whole Blood

Specimen Instructions:

Suggested: Abstain from medications for 72 hours prior to collection.

Collection Medium:

Pink top tube 6 mL (K2-EDTA)

Minimum:

Preferred Minimum: 3 mL whole blood
Absolute Minimum: 1 mL whole blood

Rejection Criteria:

Non-frozen specimens or specimens other than whole blood.

Delivery Instructions:

Keep on ice and deliver to laboratory immediately.

Turn Around Time:

1-5 days upon receipt at reference laboratory

Reference Range:

50 - 200 ng/mL

Comments:

Mix specimen well, place on ICE and deliver to Specimen Control, 6240 RCP.

Test Limitations:

Medications which may affect serotonin concentrations include lithium, MAO inhibitors, methyldopa, morphine, and reserpine. In general, serotonin-containing foods do not interfere significantly. Slight increases may be seen in acute intestinal obstructions, acute MI, cystic fibrosis, dumping syndromes, and nontropical sprue. Metastasizing abdominal carcinoid tumors often show serotonin values greater than 400 ng/mL.

Methodology:

Quantitative High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)

CPT Code:

84260