Effective Monday, March 12, 2012, the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC) core laboratory is changing the preferred collection medium for "LITHIUM DRUG LEVEL" [LAB29] from red top tube to pink top tube (EDTA).  This is to reduce number of rejected specimens due to clotted specimens.

The specimen type is pink top (EDTA) tube - 3 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 1 hour 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).