title: Differential leucocyte analysis of samples up to 48 hours old: improved results with citrate pyridoxal phosphate anticoagulant.
abstract: Routine haematology screening, including differential leucocyte counts, were performed using a Coulter STKS analyser on blood samples taken into several commonly available anticoagulants at time intervals up to 48 h after venepuncture. An anticoagulant based on citrate phosphate dextrose adenine, with a platelet anti-aggregant/dis-aggregant pyridoxal-5-phosphate (CPP), was found to be superior to tri-potassium ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid (K3EDTA) in its ability to preserve leucocytes for differential counting in the STKS analyser and preserving leucocyte (particularly neutrophil) morphology for light microscopy. CPP performed as well as K3EDTA for other routine haematology measurements and was found to be stable at room temperature for at least one year. The increased cost of CPP will prevent its widespread use, but compatibility with K3EDTA will allow it to be used along with K3EDTA in situations where transit times to the laboratory regularly exceed 24 h.
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Raigmore Hospital, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Spence
mesh_terms: D000925:Anticoagulants; D002951:Citrates; D006403:Hematologic Tests; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count / Q000379:methods*; D009504:Neutrophils; D011732:Pyridoxal Phosphate; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D002951:Citrates; D011732:Pyridoxal Phosphate