Evaluation of a new generation of plastic evacuated blood-collection tubes in clinical chemistry, therapeutic drug monitoring, hormone and trace metal analysis.
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) tubes have several advantages over glass tubes: they are unbreakable, lighter and more easily disposed of. Despite a steady increase in their use and an expansion of the range of available tubes, few studies validating their use have been published in the literature. This paper describes the various studies that have been performed to compare VENOJECT glass, VENOSAFE PET and VENOSAFE PET/heparin tubes for the assay of a panel of analytes in routine clinical chemistry, immunochemistry, hormone and tumor marker analysis and trace metal determination. These studies demonstrate that VENOSAFE PET tubes are a suitable alternative to glass tubes.
Boeynaems
Jean-Marie
JM
Laboratory of Medical Chemistry, Department of Clinical Pathology, Erasme Hospital, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium. jmboeyna@ulb.ac.be
De Leener
Anne
A
Dessars
Barbara
B
Villa-Lobos
Hector Rodriguez
HR
Aubry
Jean-Claude
JC
Cotton
Frédéric
F
Thiry
Philippe
P
D001800:Blood Specimen Collection / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D019963:Clinical Chemistry Tests / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D016903:Drug Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D005898:Glass; D006493:Heparin; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D011093:Polyethylene Terephthalates / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
D006728:Hormones; D008670:Metals; D011093:Polyethylene Terephthalates; D014867:Water; D006493:Heparin