Preanalytical factors (biological variation) and the measurement of serum soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in humans: influence of the time of day, food intake, and physical and psychological stress.
BACKGROUND
Adhesion proteins such as soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) may be important markers for early atherosclerosis and some other diseases. To devise optimum specimen collection procedures, we investigated the effects on serum sICAM-1 of several preanalytical factors (factors that occur before a specimen is analyzed) such as the time of the day, food ingestion, and physical and psychological stress.


METHODS
Three sets of experiments were conducted: (a) 30 subjects were investigated during the morning, after an overnight fast, and then after the usual breakfast and at 1200; (b) 20 subjects were studied before and after exposure to thermal stress (sauna + swimming in ice-cold water); and (c) 15 volunteers were investigated after their driving license examination and during a (stress-free) control session. Conventional methods and kits were used to determine the blood picture and serum sICAM-1.


RESULTS
All of these preanalytical factors induced a significant increase ( approximately 10%) in the concentration of sICAM-1.


CONCLUSIONS
It is advisable to consider timing, food intake, and stress when collecting specimens and analyzing data on the concentration of sICAM-1 in serum.
Dugué
B
B
Minerva Foundation Institute for Medical Research, Helsinki, Finland.
Leppänen
E
E
Gräsbeck
R
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004435:Eating; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D029002:Steam Bath; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000097:blood; D013550:Swimming; D013997:Time Factors
D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1