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Test Code HAPT Haptoglobin

Specimen and Container/Tube

Specimen Type: Plasma

Preferred Specimen: Li-Heparin Mint Green Top

Other Acceptable specimens: Serum/Gold Top, Serum/Red Top

Specimen Handling and Transport Instructions

UCMC Onsite Instructions: 

Collect specimen per standard collection procedure and send to laboratory immediately. 

 

UCMC Offsite and UC MedLab Outreach Instructions: 

  • Samples should be centrifuged within 2 hours of collection.
  • Centrifuge specimens at >2500 x g for 10 minutes at room temperature.
  • Aliquot sample into plastic transport tube containing a minimum of 0.2 mL of specimen.
  • Samples must be sent room temperature at 15-25oC.

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 clotted or grossly hemolyzed.
  • Specimens that were transported unspun/whole blood and draw time is greater than 6 hours.

Reference Values

 

Test

Age

Sex

Reference Range
Haptoglobin 0-6 months All 5-48 mg/dL
Haptoglobin >6 months All 51-192 mg/dL

 

Reference range based on in-house studies, recommendations from TietzTextbook of Clinical Chemistry, and Roche product literature.

Critical Values

Analyte

Unit

Low

High

Age

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

CPT Codes

83010

LOINC Codes

46127-7

Volume

Preferred Volume: 0.5 mL

Minimum Volume: 0.2 mL

Specimen Stability

Storage Temperature

Stability

Room temperature

3 months

Refrigerated

8 months

Collection Instructions

Collect specimen per standard laboratory collection procedures. 

 

Test Components

Haptoglobin
 

Clinical Indications

Haptoglobin is an immunoglobulin-like plasma protein that binds hemoglobin. The haptoglobin-hemoglobin complex is removed from plasma by macrophages and the hemoglobin is catabolized. When the hemoglobin-binding capacity of haptoglobin is exceeded, hemoglobin passes through the renal glomeruli, resulting in hemoglobinuria.

 

Chronic intravascular hemolysis causes persistently low haptoglobin concentration. Regular strenuous exercise may cause sustained low haptoglobin, presumably from low-grade hemolysis. Low serum haptoglobin may also be due to severe liver disease.

 

Neonatal plasma or serum specimens usually do not contain measurable haptoglobin; adult levels are achieved by 6 months.

 

Increase in plasma haptoglobin concentration occurs as an acute-phase reaction. Levels may appear to be increased in conditions such as burns and nephrotic syndrome. An acute-phase response may be confirmed and monitored by assay of other acute-phase reactants such as alpha-1-antitrypsin and C-reactive protein.

Methodology

Immunoturbidimetric Assay (Roche Diagnostics)

Additional Information

  • Results should always be assessed in conjunction with patient's medical history, clinical examination and other findings.
  • Absence of plasma haptoglobin may indicate intravascular hemolysis. However, congenital anhaptoglobinemia is common, particularly in African Americans. For this reason, it may be difficult or impossible to interpret a single measurement of plasma haptoglobin. If the assay value is low, the test should be repeated after 1 to 2 weeks following an acute episode of hemolysis. If all the plasma haptoglobin is removed following an episode of intravascular hemolysis and if hemolysis ceases, the haptoglobin concentration should return to normal in a week.

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

N/A

Last Review Date

06/19/2024