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Test Code ALCU Alcohol, Qualitative Screen, Urine

Specimen and Container/Tube

Specimen Type: Urine, Random Collection

Preferred Specimen: Sterile Plastic Container

Other Acceptable specimens: Sterile Clean Glass Container

Specimen Handling and Transport Instructions

UCMC Onsite Instructions: 

  • Collect specimen per standard collection procedure and send to laboratory immediately. 
  • No preservatives or additives.

 

 

UCMC Offsite and UC MedLab Outreach Instructions: 

  • Samples should be centrifuged within 2 hours of collection
  • No preservatives or additives
  • Centrifuge specimens at >2500 x g for 10 minutes at room temperature.
  • Aliquot urine into plastic tube containing a minimum of 1.0 mL of specimen.
  • Urine samples must then be sent refrigerated at 2-8oC.

Rejection Criteria

  • Common specimen rejected situations include: incorrect specimen type, insufficient volume, missing or incomplete specimen identifiers, incorrect specimen transport, or specimens outside stability limits. 
  • Specimens that are collected with preservatives or additives.

Reference Values

 

Test

Age

Sex

Reference Range

Alcohol

All

All

None Detected

Critical Values

Analyte

Unit

Low

High

Age

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

CPT Codes

80301

LOINC Codes

5644-0

Volume

Preferred Volume: 3.0 mL

Minimum Volume: 1.0 mL

Specimen Stability

Storage Temperature

Stability

Room temperature

Not Acceptable

Refrigerated

30 Days

Frozen

Not Acceptable

Collection Instructions

  • Collect specimen per standard laboratory collection procedures. 
  • No preservatives or additives.

Test Components

Alcohol
 

Clinical Indications

  • Assist in the diagnosis and treatment of ethanol intoxication and poisoning.
  • For medical purposes only.
  • This test must not be used for employee drug testing or other purposes requiring a chain of custody handling procedure.

Methodology

Enzymatic Method w/ Alcohol Dehydrogenase (Roche Diagnostics)

Additional Information

  • Results should always be assessed in conjunction with patient's medical history, clinical examination and other findings.
  • Also included in urine toxicology screen; EDS order code.
  • The Emergency Drug Screen (EDS) includes screening tests for Ethanol, Amphetamines, Barbiturates, Benzodiazepines, Cocaine Metabolite, Opiates, Phencyclidine, Methadone Metabolite, Fentanyl and Oxycodone.
  • All positive results are considered presumptive unless confirmed by an alternate method. Cutoff value used to discern positive from negative/none detected is 25 mg/dL.

 

Turnaround Time

Turnaround times are relative to the time the specimen is received in the test laboratory. 

 

STAT Turnaround Time: 1 hour

Routine Turnaround Time: 4 hours

Testing Schedule: 24/7

Synonyms/Keyword Search

Urine Ethanol, Urine Ethyl Alcohol

Last Review Date

8/19/2024