Effective Monday, July 11, 2011, the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics core clinical laboratory will begin running assays for drug levels for lamotrigine (Lamictal) and levetiracetam (Keppra). These assays will be available in Epic as "LAMOTRIGINE (LAMICTAL) DRUG LEVEL" [LAB475] and "KEPPRA (LEVETIRACETAM) DRUG LEVEL" [LAB477], respectively.

In correlation studies with the current mailout tests to ARUP Laboratories, the new assays show tight correlation between the two methods across the entire range of clinically relevant plasma concentrations. Therefore, there are no changes in reference ranges for either assay.

The specimen type is EDTA tube – 5 mL whole blood from one pink top tube (adults) or TWO EDTA microtainers (pediatric patients). The test will be available 24 hours/day, 7 days a week (including holidays) with a turnaround time of 2 hours upon receipt in laboratory.

Questions should be directed to Matthew Krasowski, MD, PhD, medical director of the Clinical Chemistry Laboratory (384-9380, matthew-krasowski@uiowa.edu).