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Test Code LYTS Electrolyte Panel

Important Note

Note: For chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients with WBC count >100,000, the specimen should be collected in a GOLD SST for potassium analyte.

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.
  • Make sure sample is tightly capped.
  • 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

Carbon Dioxide

All

All

23-30 mmol/L

Chloride

All

All

95-108 mmol/L

Potassium

All

All

3.5-5.0 mmol/L

Sodium

All

All

135-145 mmol/L

Anion Gap

All

All

6-15 mmol/L

Note: Reference range based on in-house studies, recommendations from Tietz Textbook of Clinical Chemistry, and Roche product literature. 

Critical Values

Analyte

Unit

Low

High

Age

Carbon Dioxide

mmol/L

<10

>40

All

Potassium

mmol/L

<2.8

>6.2

>14 days

Potassium

mmol/L

<2.8

>8.0

≤ 14 days

Sodium

mmol/L

<120

>160

All

CPT Codes

84132, 84295, 82435, 82374

LOINC Codes

2823-3, 2951-2, 2075-0, 2028-9

Volume

Preferred Volume: 0.5 mL

Minimum Volume: 0.2 mL

Specimen Stability

Storage Temperature

Stability

Room temperature

7 days

Refrigerated

40 hours

Frozen

6 months

Collection Instructions

Collect specimen per standard laboratory collection procedures. 

 

Test Components

  • Carbon Dioxide
  • Chloride
  • Potassium
  • Sodium
  • Anion Gap (IGAP) is a calculation of Sodium (Na+ ) minus ((Cl-) plus the Bicarbonate (CO2))

Clinical Indications

  • The bicarbonate content of serum or plasma is a significant indicator of electrolyte dispersion and anion deficit.
  • Chloride measurements are used in the diagnosis and treatment of electrolyte and metabolic disorders such as cystic fibrosis and diabetic acidosis.
  • Potassium, as one of the principal intracellular cations in the body, is a major contributor to tissue osmotic pressure and is the prime determinant of the cell resting membrane potential.
  • Sodium measurements are used in the diagnosis and treatment of aldosteronism (excessive secretion of the hormone aldosterone), diabetes insipidus (chronic excretion of large amounts of dilute urine, accompanied by extreme thirst), adrenal hypertension, Addison’s disease (caused by destruction of the adrenal glands), dehydration, inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion, or other diseases involving electrolyte imbalance.

Methodology

  • Ion Specific Electrode Method (ISE) (Roche Diagnostics)
  • Enzymatic Method (Roche Diagnostics)

Additional Information

  • Results should always be assessed in conjunction with patient's medical history, clinical examination and other findings.
  • Release of potassium from as few as 0.5 % of the erythrocytes (from specimen collection) can increase the plasma level by 0.5 mmol/L.
  • For Additional Information please see individual test. Chloride, Potassium, Sodium, Bicarbonate
  • Each of these test components may be ordered individually. A test or panel may be ordered only when all components are medically necessary to diagnose or treat an individual patient. If all components are not medically necessary, a less inclusive panel and/or an individual test as appropriate to treat the individual patient should be ordered.

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

CO2, HCO3, Bicarbonate, Na, Sodium, K, Potassium, Cl, Chloride, IGAP, Anion Gap

Last Review Date

8/19/2024

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