Sign in →

Test Code LAB34 Salicylate, Blood

Performing Laboratory

St. Louis Children's Hospital Laboratory - Chemistry

Specimen Requirements

Patient Preparation: None

Collection Container/Tube:

Preferred: Mint green-top Lithium Heparin (MNTGRN LiHep) tube

Acceptable: Green samplette/microtainer, plain red-top tube, Gold SST gel tube, or Lavender-top (EDTA) tube

Submission Container/Tube: If specimen is coming from outside facility and collected in a microtainer, plain red-top tube, or lavender-top tube aliquot processed sample into a plastic vial for transport (labeling with specimen type).

Specimen Collection Volume: 1.0 mL (minimum 0.6 mL)

Special Instructions: None

Sample Rejection

Mislabled or unlabeled specimens

Logistics

Test Availability: Monday-Sunday

Cut-off time: None, performed as received

Turnaround Time: Same Day; 2 hours from receipt in performing lab

Reference Values

Reference Interval: <0.5 mg/dL

Critical Value: ≥0.5 mg/dL (all detectable levels)

   Toxicity is dependent on both the serum concentration and time since ingestion

Every critical test result will be called back automatically.

 

Methodology

Enzymatic

Limitations

  • There is the possibility that other substances and/or factors may interfere with the test and cause unreliable results.
  • In very rare cases, gammopathy, in particular type IgM (Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia) amy cause unreliable results.

For diagnositic purposes, the results should always be assessed in conjunction witht he patient's medical history, clinical examination, and other findings.

Additional Information

FOR SLCH CORE LABORATORY USE ONLY

Lab Processing Instructions: Centrifuge to separate. If specimen is collected in microtainer, plain red-top tube, or lavender-top tube aliquot sample into a Roche false-bottom tube for testing (labeling aliquot with specimen type).

Processed Volume: 0.3 mL plasma/serum

Analyte Stability:

Specimen Type Temperature Time
Whole Blood (unprocessed)  Ambient NA
Plasma/Serum (processed) Refrigerated (preferred) 7 days
  Ambient  24 hours   
  Frozen  6 months   
Avoid repeated freeze/thaw cycles

 

Test Classification and CPT Code

80179

LOINC

4024-6

Last Reviewed

06/2025