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Test Code LAB69 Folate

Useful For

  • Investigating the presence of macrocytic anemia.  Abnormal folate status has also been linked with cardiovascular diseases, neural tube defects, cleft lip and palate, late pregnancy complications, neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders.

  • Folate deficiency can be caused by decreased nutritional intake, liver diseases, impaired folate metabolism due to genetic defects or drug interactions, poor absorption or increased demand of folate (pregnancy).

Methodology

Electrochemiluminescence Immunoassay (ECLIA)

Performing Laboratory

Bozeman Health Laboratory Services

Specimen Requirements

Specimen Type: Serum
Container/Tube:  Gold top or red top
Specimen Volume: 1 mL
Specimen Minimum Volume: 0.5 mL
Collection Instructions:

  1. Patients should be fasting. 
  2. Avoid hemolyzed specimens.
  3. Send to the laboratory promptly.  
  4. Spin down and refrigerate within 2 hours of collection.

Specimen Rejection:

  1. Hemolyzed samples will be rejected. Hemolysis may significantly increase folate values due to high concentrations of folate in red blood cells.
  2. Do not order on patients who have recently received methotrexate or other folic acid antagonist.
  3. Samples should not be taken from patients receiving therapy with high
    biotin doses (i.e. > 5 mg/day) until at least 8 hours following the last biotin
    administration.

Specimen Transport Temperature

Refrigerated

Specimen Stability

Specimen Type Temperature Time
Serum Ambient 2 hours
  Refrigerated 48 hours
  Frozen 28 days

Reference Values

3.1-17.5 ng/mL

 

Note: Results >20.0 ng/mL will be reported as >20.0 ng/mL

Day(s) Test Set Up

Monday through Sunday

Test Classification and CPT Coding

82746