Homocysteine
| Sunquest Code: | HCY | ||
| Epic Code: | LAB3520 | Epic Name: | Homocysteine |
| Synonyms: | Homocysteine, Total; Homocystine; HCY | ||
| Methodology: | Chemiluminescent immunoassay | ||
| Turnaround Time: | Performed once/week; results are reported the next day. | ||
Collection Instructions
| Specimen: | Blood |
| Optimal Volume: | 2 mL |
| Minimum\Peds Volume: | 1 mL |
| Container: | Purple (EDTA) on ICE (Green (sodium heparin, no gel) on ICE) |
| Causes for Rejection: | Not collected on ice; gross hemolysis. Sample not separated from cells within 2 hours of collection. |
Processing and Shipping
| Specimen Processing: | Within 2 hours, centrifuge and aliquot 1 mL, 0.4 mL minimum. |
| Shipping Instructions: | Ship at refrigerated temperature. |
| Stability: | Plasma is stable refrigerated for up to 14 days. |
| Test Performed at or Referral Lab | Specialty Core (UMMC-East Bank) |
Interpretive
| Reference Range: | 4-12 umol/L |
| Use: | Diagnosis of homocystinuria and monitoring levels for patient management. Moderately elevated levels of homocysteine in the plasma could be due to heterozygosity of cystathionine beta-synthase (CBS) gene defect, defects in the remethylation pathway, other genetic factors, nutritional, or non-specific cause, such as renal failure. |
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