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Test Code NA Sodium

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

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

Sodium

mmol/L

<120

>160

All

CPT Codes

84295

LOINC Codes

2951-2

Volume

Preferred Volume: 0.5 mL

Minimum Volume: 0.2 mL

Specimen Stability

Storage Temperature

Stability

Room temperature

14 days

Refrigerated

14 days

Frozen

stable

Collection Instructions

Collect specimen per standard laboratory collection procedures. 

 

Test Components

Sodium

Anion Gap (IGAP) is a calculation of Sodium (Na+ ) minus ((Cl-) plus the Bicarbonate (CO2))

Clinical Indications

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)

Additional Information

  • Results should always be assessed in conjunction with patient's medical history, clinical examination and other findings.
  • The concentration of sodium in serum or plasma is one basic indicator of the electrolyte-fluid balance of the patient. Sodium measurements are used in determining the hydration status and abnormalities in electrolyte intake and excretion.
  • Hyperatremia occurs with: dehydration, Cushing's Syndrome, central or nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, volume contraction, lactic acidosis, azotemia, bacillary dysentry, cholera, gastroenteritis and colitis, central nervous system neoplasms, lymphomas and leukemias, diabetic acidosis, acromegaly, mineralocorticoidsd or glucocorticod excess, ovarian hypofunction, meningitis, encephalomyelitis, congestive heart failure, central nervous system hemorrhage or embolism, intestinal obstruction, peritonitis, hepatic failure, renal failure, vomiting, diarrhea, or high sodium diets.
  • Hypoatremia occurs with: nehrotic syndrome, cachexia, hypoproteinemia, intravenous glucose infusion, congestive heart failure, hypothroidism, syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion, renal failure, renal salt loss, Addison's disease, hypopituitarism, cirrhosis, hypertriglyceridemia, psychogenic polydipsia, diuretics, dysentries, tuberculosis, rickettesial infections, malaria, lung tumor, hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus, pituitary or adrenal hypofunction, ovarian hyperfunction, coeliac sprue, malabsorption, cystic fibrosis, acute intermitent porphyrin, renal tubular acidosis, hypothermia, burns.
  • Also included in Basic Metabolic Panel KPNL, Comprehensive Metabolic Panel CPNL, ER Panel I STKG, Renal Function Panel RPNL, CMP for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CPNL FOR CLL PATIENTS ONLY) SSTCP, BMP for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (KPNL FOR CLL PATIENTS ONLY)  SSTKP and Electrolyte Panel LYTS 

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

8/19/2024

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