Suitable Specimen Types
- Serum
- Li Hep Plasma
Specimen Transport
Send Frozen to Ref Lab. Transport needs to be arranged. Record the blood glucose concentration on the request form sent to the ref lab.Sample Processing in Laboratory
Please send to BHH as soon as possible. Sample must be seperated within 30 minutes of venepuncture.Sample Preparation
Blood may be collected into serum (plain or gel) tube or lithium heparin tubes. (latter recommended for paediatric samples to increase plasma yield). The specimen should be transported to the lab immediately and then centrifuged within 30 minutes.Turnaround Time
4 weeksSample Stability
-20°CInsulin
General Information
The primary clinical use of insulin measurement is in the differential diagnosis of documented spontaneous hypoglycaemia.
The measurement of both insulin and C-peptide is advisable in these investigations since in some cases of insulinoma, insulin levels may be low or marginally inappropriate whereas C-peptide is almost always unequivocally raised. Both measurements are essential for the identification of factitious insulin administration.
Further tests, such as those for ketones, proinsulin, growth hormone and the insulin-like growth factors may also be required to complete the diagnostic process.
Patient Preparation
Hypoglycaemia, spontaneous or whilst fasting, must first be established by regular monitoring of blood glucose levels.
Blood should be collected when patient is hypoglycaemic.
Notes
If test is urgent please contact the DB who will liase with the reference lab.
If glucose is above 3.0 mmol/L, insulin analysis is not usually carried out
Haemolysed samples are not suitable for analysis
Reference Range
Provided by Reference Laboratory
Specifications
- EQA Scheme?: Yes
- EQA Status: UK NEQAS Guildford Peptide Hormones