title: Evaluation of serum separator tubes as a mail transport device in primary health care.
abstract: Serum separator tubes were evaluated as a serum separator system and a mail transport device. Using conventional tubes as controls, 26 serum constituents were examined. The samples were mailed from three different general practitioners to a central laboratory. Thirteen constituents had concentrations that were significantly different from the concentration in the conventional tubes. When medically important coefficients of variations were taken into account, however, the changes of only two constituents (potassium and cobalamin) were regarded as important.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical Biochemistry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sandberg
authors.forename: N G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Horgen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jacobsen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Johansen
mesh_terms: D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D001800:Blood Specimen Collection / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005194:Family Practice; D006801:Humans; D007755:Laboratories, Hospital; D009664:Norway; D011177:Postal Service; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods