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Sodium citrate blood contamination by K 2 ‐ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid ( EDTA ): impact on routine coagulation testing
Author(s) -
LimaOliveira G.,
Salvagno G. L.,
Danese E.,
Favaloro E. J.,
Guidi G. C.,
Lippi G.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
international journal of laboratory hematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.705
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 1751-553X
pISSN - 1751-5521
DOI - 10.1111/ijlh.12301
Subject(s) - ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid , contamination , partial thromboplastin time , sodium citrate , whole blood , prothrombin time , chemistry , fibrinogen , medicine , coagulation testing , chromatography , coagulation , surgery , chelation , pathology , inorganic chemistry , ecology , biology
Summary Introduction The potential cross‐contamination of additives between primary blood tubes is a well‐known problem during sample collection. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of citrated blood contamination with different amounts of dipotassium ethylenediaminetetraacetic (K 2 EDTA blood) on activated partial thromboplastin time ( APTT ), prothrombin time ( PT ), and fibrinogen. Methods Blood was collected from 15 ostensibly healthy volunteers into four 0.109 m citrate blood tubes followed by one K 2 EDTA blood tube. The citrate tubes of each subject were pooled and divided in five aliquots. The whole blood of the K 2 EDTA tube was then added in scalar amounts to autologous citrated blood aliquots, to obtain K 2 EDTA contamination ranging from 0% to 43%, and thus mimic potential pre‐analytical contamination. Results A statistically and clinically significant prolongation was observed for both APTT and PT between 29% and 43% K 2 EDTA contamination, whereas the decrease of fibrinogen values became statistically and clinically significant at 43% K 2 EDTA contamination. Conclusion The results of this investigation show that contamination of citrated blood with as much as 29% of K 2 EDTA blood generates a significant bias in results of routine clotting assays. This has serious implications for patient safety and management.