Micronutrient, Vitamin C
Test code
CPT code(s)*
Test resources
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Details
Methodology
Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry
Assay category
This test was developed and its analytical performance characteristics have been determined by Quest Diagnostics. It has not been cleared or approved by FDA. This assay has been validated pursuant to the CLIA regulations and is used for clinical purposes.
Specimen requirements | |
|---|---|
| Patient preparation | Overnight fasting is preferred. Refrain from eating fruits and from taking vitamin C supplements for 24 hours prior to collection. |
| Preferred specimen(s) | 1 mL frozen serum - protected from light |
| Alternative specimen(s) | Plasma collected in: Sodium heparin (green-top) tube protected from light • Foil wrapped transport tube protected from light |
| Minimum volume | 0.5 mL |
| Collection instructions | Patients should be 18 years of age or greater. Centrifuge within 1 hour of collection. Immediately separate serum from the cells into a clean, plastic transport tube. Freeze. Protect from light. If unable to centrifuge immediately, sample should be covered with aluminum foil and placed on ice until serum can be separated from cells. Transport to the laboratory frozen. For remote collection sites, or those with no access to ultra-low freezers or dry ice, it is recommended to schedule patient visits/draws after 12:00 p.m. local time and store the samples at -10 ° C to -30° C freezers (stable for 8 hours) until picked up by courier. Couriers should then transfer samples to -70° C storage (on dry ice) while enroute to the performing site location. |
| Transport container | Amber transport tube |
| Transport temperature | Frozen -70° C |
| Specimen stability | Room temperature: Unacceptable Refrigerated: Unacceptable Frozen -20° C: 8 hours Frozen -70° C: 35 days |
| Reject criteria | Hemolysis • Lipemia • Received at -20° C • Not protected from light • EDTA plasma • Lithium heparin plasma • Thawed samples |
Reference Range(s)
| Male ≥18 years | 0.2-2.1 mg/dL |
| Female ≥18 years | 0.3-2.7 mg/dL |
Reference ranges are provided as general guidance only. To interpret test results use the reference range in the laboratory report.
*The CPT codes provided are based on AMA guidance and are for informational purposes only. CPT coding is the sole responsibility of the billing party. Please direct any questions regarding coding to the payer being billed.
This material contains content from LOINC® (http://loinc.org). The LOINC Table, LOINC Table Core are copyright © 1995-2019, Regenstrief Institute, Inc. and the Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC) Committee and is available at no cost under the license at http://loinc.org/license.
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