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The University of Chicago Medicine Laboratories

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Specimen Collection and Handling

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Mayo Clinic Laboratories

Test Code IgM Immunoglobulin M

Specimen and Container/Tube

Specimen Type: Plasma

Preferred Specimen: Li-Heparin Mint Green Top

Other Acceptable specimens: Serum/Gold Top

Specimen Stability

Storage Temperature

Stability

Room temperature

2 months

Refrigerated

4 months

Frozen

6 months

Collection Instructions

Collect specimen per standard laboratory collection procedures. 

 

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

IgM

0 up to 1 month

All

11-35 mg/dL

1 month up to 4 months

All

12-87 mg/dL

4 months up to 7 months

All

25-120 mg/dL

7 months up to 2 years

All

36-104 mg/dL

2 years up to 3 years

All

72-160 mg/dL

3 years up to 4 years

All

46-190 mg/dL

4 years up to 5 years

All

52-200 mg/dL

5 years up to 6 years

All

40-180 mg/dL

6 years up to 7 years

All

55-210 mg/dL

7 years up to 8 years

All

60-175 mg/dL

8 years up to 9 years

All

68-175 mg/dL

9 years up to 10 years

All

55-160 mg/dL

10 years up to 11 years

All

80-150 mg/dL

11 years up to 12 years

All

66-155 mg/dL

12 years up to 14 years

All

70-150 mg/dL

14 years and up

All

50-320 mg/dL

  

Critical Values

Analyte

Unit

Low

High

Age

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

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

Clinical Indications

The gamma globulin band as seen in conventional serum protein electrophoresis consists of 5 immunoglobulins. In normal serum, about 5% is IgM.

 

Elevations of IgM may be due to polyclonal immunoglobulin production. Monoclonal elevations of IgM occur in macroglobulinemia.

 

Monoclonal gammopathies of all types may lead to a spike in the gamma globulin zone seen on serum protein electrophoresis.

 

Decreased immunoglobulin levels are found in patients with congenital deficiencies.

Test Components

Immunoglobulin M

Methodology

Immunological agglutination (Roche Diagnostics)

CPT Codes

82784

LOINC Codes

2472-9

Synonyms/Keyword Search

IgM (Immunoglobulin M)

IgM single test

IgM, Serum

Immune Competence

Additional Information

  • Increased serum immunoglobulin concentrations occur due to polyclonal or oligoclonal immunoglobulin proliferation in hepatic disease (eg, hepatitis, liver cirrhosis), connective tissue diseases, acute and chronic infections, as well as in the cord blood of neonates with intrauterine and perinatal infections.

     

    Elevation of IgM may occur in monoclonal gammopathies such as macroglobulinemia, primary systemic amyloidosis, monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, and related disorders.

     

    Decreased levels are found in patients with primary or secondary immune deficiencies.

Last Review Date

5/30/25

Volume

Preferred Volume: 0.5 mL

Minimum Volume: 0.2 mL

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