Carnitine Free & Total, Plasma




Test Mnemonic

CARNPL

CPT Codes

  • 82379 - QTY (1)

Includes

  • Free L-carnitine
  • Total L-carnitine
  • Free/Total carnitine ratio
  • Result interpretation

Performing Laboratory

Cleveland Clinic Laboratories


Specimen Requirements

Volume Type Container Collect Temperature Transport Temperature Special Instructions
1 mLPlasmaEDTA (Lavender) FrozenRemove plasma from cells within 2 hours of collection and then freeze.

Alternate Specimen Requirements

Volume Type Container Collect Temperature Transport Temperature Special Instructions
1 mLSerumNo additive (Red) FrozenRemove serum from cells within 2 hours of collection and then freeze.
1 mLPlasmaLithium heparin (Green) FrozenRemove plasma from cells within 2 hours of collection and then freeze.
1 mLPlasmaLithium heparin PST (Lt. Green) FrozenRemove plasma from cells within 2 hours of collection and then freeze.
1 mLPlasmaSodium heparin (Green) FrozenRemove plasma from cells within 2 hours of collection and then freeze.

Minimum Specimen Requirements

Volume Type Container Collect Temperature Transport Temperature Special Instructions
0.2 mL     

Stability

Environmental Condition Description
FrozenAfter separation from cells: 60 days

Days Performed

1 day per week

Turnaround Time

1 - 10 days

Methodology

Name Description
Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) 

Reference Range

Free L-carnitine
Sex Age From Age To Type Range Range Unit
   Days29 DaysNormal7 - 54umol/L
 30 Days364 DaysNormal16 - 58umol/L
 1 Years99 YearsNormal22 - 52umol/L
Free/Total carnitine ratio
Sex Age From Age To Type Range Range Unit
   Days29 DaysNormal0.6 - 0.9.
 30 Days364 DaysNormal0.4 - 0.9.
 1 Years99 YearsNormal0.7 - 0.9.
Total L-carnitine
Sex Age From Age To Type Range Range Unit
   Days29 DaysNormal12 - 68umol/L
 30 Days364 DaysNormal27 - 74umol/L
 1 Years99 YearsNormal27 - 66umol/L

Special Info

Decant plasma/serum from cells within 2 hours from collection. Indicate patient fasting hours when the sample was collected. Fasting is not required, but the information is helpful for test interpretation. Carnitine, fish oil and omega-3 supplements affect test results; indicate supplement use on the requisition. Samples on patients < 1 year old are sent to an outside reference laboratory (currently Mayo).