Saliva

Do not collect specimen within 60 minutes after eating a meal, within 12 hours after consuming alcohol, immediately after brushing teeth or after any activity that may cause gums to bleed. Rinse mouth thoroughly with water 10 minutes before specimen collection. Recommended collection time is between 11:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m.

Transfer saturated swab to plain (non-citric acid) cotton Salivette® collection device. Record the time of collection on the test request form, and on Salivette® transport container.

Saliva. Swab must be completely saturated to ensure sufficient volume for testing.

Specimens not collected using the Salivette® collection device. Sodium azide preservative. Specimens with pH values greater than 9.0 or less than 3.5 must be recollected. Specimens visibly contaminated with blood, cellular debris, food particles, or mucus.

Testing performed on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at reference laboratory.

1-4 days upon receipt at reference laboratory

By report

For a collection at 2300 hr, the normal cortisol concentration is less than 0.112 μg/dL. Patients with Cushing's Syndrome have concentrations of 0.112 μg/dL or greater.

Bovine hormones normally present in dairy products can cross-react with anti-cortisol antibodies and cause false results. Acidic or high sugar foods can compromise assay performance by lowering sample pH and influencing bacterial growth. Samples with pH values greater than 9.0 or less than 3.5 must be recollected.

Collection vial MUST reach lab within 5 days in order to be viable upon receipt at reference laboratory.

Quantitative Enzyme Immunoassay

82533