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The impact of delayed blood centrifuging, choice of collection tube, and type of assay on 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations

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Abstract

Studies have examined the associations between cancers and circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], but little is known about the impact of different laboratory practices on 25(OH)D concentrations. We examined the potential impact of delayed blood centrifuging, choice of collection tube, and type of assay on 25(OH)D concentrations. Blood samples from 20 healthy volunteers underwent alternative laboratory procedures: four centrifuging times (2, 24, 72, and 96 h after blood draw); three types of collection tubes (red top serum tube, two different plasma anticoagulant tubes containing heparin or EDTA); and two types of assays (DiaSorin radioimmunoassay [RIA] and chemiluminescence immunoassay [CLIA/LIAISON®]). Log-transformed 25(OH)D concentrations were analyzed using the generalized estimating equations (GEE) linear regression models. We found no difference in 25(OH)D concentrations by centrifuging times or type of assay. There was some indication of a difference in 25(OH)D concentrations by tube type in CLIA/LIAISON®-assayed samples, with concentrations in heparinized plasma (geometric mean, 16.1 ng ml−1) higher than those in serum (geometric mean, 15.3 ng ml−1) (p = 0.01), but the difference was significant only after substantial centrifuging delays (96 h). Our study suggests no necessity for requiring immediate processing of blood samples after collection or for the choice of a tube type or assay.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Barry Graubard for his statistical advice and Ms. Elaine Gunter for study consultation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, 6120 Executive Boulevard, Mailstop 7238, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA

    Chu-Ling Yu, Roni T. Falk, Preetha Rajaraman, Alice J. Sigurdson, Martha S. Linet & D. Michal Freedman

  2. Australian Sun and Health Research Laboratory, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    Michael G. Kimlin

  3. Heartland Assays, Inc., Ames, IA, USA

    Ronald L. Horst

  4. Laboratory of Biospecimen and Biorepository Research, SAIC-Frederick Inc., NCI-Frederick, Frederick, MD, USA

    Louis M. Cosentino

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  1. Chu-Ling Yu
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  2. Roni T. Falk
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  3. Michael G. Kimlin
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  4. Preetha Rajaraman
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  5. Alice J. Sigurdson
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  6. Ronald L. Horst
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  7. Louis M. Cosentino
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  8. Martha S. Linet
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  9. D. Michal Freedman
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Chu-Ling Yu.

Additional information

Funding: This research was supported by the Intramural Research Program of the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute, and by federal funds from the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, under Contract NO1-CO-12400. The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of Health and Human Services nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organization imply endorsement by the United States Government.

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Yu, CL., Falk, R.T., Kimlin, M.G. et al. The impact of delayed blood centrifuging, choice of collection tube, and type of assay on 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations. Cancer Causes Control 21, 643–648 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-009-9485-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-009-9485-x

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