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Test Code LI Lithium

Specimen and Container/Tube

Specimen Type: Serum

Preferred Specimen: Red Top

Other Acceptable specimens: Serum/Gold Top, Plasma/Lavendar K2 Top, Plasma/Sodium Heparin 

Specimen Handling and Transport Instructions

UCMC Onsite Instructions: 

  • Collect specimen per standard collection procedure and send to laboratory immediately. Recommended to draw blood in a plain, red-top tube(s) 8 to12 hours after last dose (trough specimen).
  • Serum samples should be seperated off the cells within 4 hours of collection if processing is delayed.

 

UCMC Offsite and UC MedLab Outreach Instructions: 

  • Samples should be centrifuged within 2 hours of collection.
  • Recommended to draw blood in a plain, red-top tube(s) 8 to12 hours after last dose (trough specimen).
  • 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.
  • Serum samples should be seperated off the cells within 4 hours of collection if processing is delayed.
  • Samples must 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 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

Lithium

All

All

0.5 - 1.0 mmol/L

Reference ranges are based on in-house studies, recommendations from Tietz Textbook of Clinical Chemistry, and Roche Diagnostics product literature. 

 

Critical Values

Analyte

Unit

Low

High

Age

Lithium 

mmol/L

N/A

> 2.00

N/A

CPT Codes

80178

LOINC Codes

14334-7

Volume

Preferred Volume: 0.5 mL

Minimum Volume: 0.2 mL

Specimen Stability

Storage Temperature

Stability

Room Temperature

1 Day

Refrigerated

7 Days

Frozen

6 Months

Collection Instructions

Collect specimen per standard laboratory collection procedures. 

 

Test Components

Lithium 

Clinical Indications

Monitor therapeutic drug level, support compliance, and avoid intoxicating levels.

Methodology

Colormetric Test (Roche Diagnostics)

Additional Information

  • Results should always be assessed in conjunction with patient's medical history, clinical examination and other findings.
  • Lithium toxicity, including severe neurotoxic effects, can occur with normal serum lithium levels. Instances of acute intoxication may be accompanied by high serum lithium levels without clinical evidence of neurotoxic effects. Lithium penetrates neurons slowly.
  • Thiazides can cause significant rise in serum lithium.

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: up to 4 hours

Testing Schedule:  24/7

Synonyms/Keyword Search

N/A

Last Review Date

02/24/2023