title: Measurement of Type B natriuretic peptide in heparin and K(2) EDTA plasma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) plasma is the only suitable specimen recommended by the manufacturers to be used in the determination of BNP. It appears crucial to evaluate if more conventional heparin plasma samples could be reliably used for BNP determination. Aim of this study was to evaluate the use of heparin plasma sample for BNP determination.
  
  
  METHODS
  Venous blood from 42 consecutive patients admitted at the division of cardiology was collected in two test tubes, with K(2)-EDTA (Group 1) and lithium heparin with gel separator (Group 2) and analysed within 20 min of blood collection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Statistical analysis showed a significant difference between Group 1 and Group 2 (p<0.0001). Sample collected in K(2)-EDTA showed a significant underestimation when compared to lithium-heparin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data showed that BNP could not be dosed on different collection tubes without altering the results. In our experimental conditions, interestingly we found that BNP levels are significantly lower if measured in EDTA plasma.
authors: Clinical Biochemical Laboratory, San Maurizio Regional Hospital of Bolzano, Via L. Boehler 5, 39100 Bolzano, Italy. massimo.daves@asbz.it
authors: Massimo
authors: M
authors: Daves
authors: Irene
authors: I
authors: Pusceddu
authors: Roberto
authors: R
authors: Cemin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000097:blood*; D001800:Blood Specimen Collection / Q000295:instrumentation; D004492:Edetic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D006493:Heparin / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D006493:Heparin; D004492:Edetic Acid