Serotonin, Whole Blood
Test Mnemonic
SEROWB
CPT Codes
- 84260 - QTY (1)
LOINC ®
2939-7
Aliases
- 5HT
- 5-hydroxytryptamine
Performing Laboratory
ARUP
Specimen Requirements
| Volume | Type | Container | Collect Temperature | Transport Temperature | Special Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 mL | Whole blood | EDTA (Lavender) | Place specimen on ice after draw. | Frozen, Critical | Patient Prep: Abstain from medications for 72 hours prior to collection. Place on ice after draw. Transfer 3 mL whole blood to a serotonin transport tube containing ascorbic acid (ARUP supply #16568). Mix well and freeze. Must preserve and freeze specimen within 2 hours of collection. Separate specimens must be submitted when multiple tests are ordered. |
Minimum Specimen Requirements
| Volume | Type | Container | Collect Temperature | Transport Temperature | Special Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 mL |
Stability
| Environmental Condition | Description |
|---|---|
| Ambient | After transfer to serotonin transport tube: Unacceptable |
| Refrigerated | After transfer to serotonin transport tube: Unacceptable |
| Frozen | After transfer to serotonin transport tube: 1 month |
Days Performed
Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat
Turnaround Time
2 - 6 days
Methodology
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) |
Reference Range
| Serotonin, Whole Blood | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sex | Age From | Age To | Type | Range | Range Unit |
| Normal | 50 - 200 | ng/mL |
Special Info
Patient Prep: Abstain from medications for 72 hours prior to collection. CRITICAL FROZEN. Separate specimens must be submitted when multiple tests are ordered. Non-frozen specimens and specimens other than whole blood are unacceptable. This test is New York DOH approved.
Clinical Info
Used to diagnose and monitor carcinoid tumors. Preferred serotonin test since most of the blood serotonin resides in the platelets. Medications that may affect serotonin concentrations include lithium, MAO inhibitors, methyldopa, morphine, and reserpine. Foods that contain serotonin do not interfere significantly, in general. Slight increases may be seen in acute intestinal obstruction, acute MI, cystic fibrosis, dumping syndromes, and nontropical sprue. Metastasizing abdominal carcinoid tumors often show serotonin concentrations > 400 ng/mL.