title: Evaluation of the BD Vacutainer PST II blood collection tube for special chemistry analytes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The performance of the BD Vacutainer PST II Tube for testing of special chemistry analytes was evaluated in comparison to serum and heparin plasma non-gel blood collection tubes. The comparison tubes included the BD Vacutainer Serum Plus Tube, the BD Vacutainer Lithium Heparin Plus Tube, and the BD Vacutainer Lithium Heparin Glass Tube.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tubes were drawn by routine venipuncture from 42 subjects according to a randomized draw order. Tubes were processed and centrifuged according to recommended handling procedures. Serum and plasma from the comparison tubes were aliquoted to secondary containers prior to analysis. Specimens were then tested for selected special chemistry analytes at two time intervals (initial time and after 24 h storage). Analytes tested included thyroid stimulating hormone, free thyroxine, total thyroxine, follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, ferritin, cortisol, vitamin B12, folate, and testosterone. The data were collected and analyzed by analysis of variance and mean bias comparisons.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The performance of the BD Vacutainer PST II Tube was considered to be clinically equivalent to all three comparison tubes for all assays. Test results from the BD Vacutainer PST II Tube and from aliquots from the three comparison tubes at 24 h were considered to be clinically equivalent to those at initial time for all assays.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The BD Vacutainer PST II Tube provided clinically equivalent results to serum and plasma non-gel tubes and good storage stability for the assays evaluated without the need to aliquot.
authors.affiliation: BD Diagnostics-Preanalytical Systems, Franklin Lakes, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chance
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Berube
authors.forename: Marita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vandersmissen
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Blanckaert
mesh_terms: D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D001800:Blood Specimen Collection / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic