Vitamin C
Test Mnemonic
VITC
CPT Codes
- 82180 - QTY (1)
LOINC ®
1903-4
Aliases
- Ascorbic Acid
Performing Laboratory
ARUP
Specimen Requirements
| Volume | Type | Container | Collect Temperature | Transport Temperature | Special Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 mL | Plasma | Sodium heparin (Green) | Place specimen on ice after draw. | Frozen, Critical | Protect specimen from light. Centrifuge ASAP or within 1 hour of collection. |
Alternate Specimen Requirements
| Volume | Type | Container | Collect Temperature | Transport Temperature | Special Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 mL | Plasma | Lithium heparin (Green) | Place specimen on ice after draw. | Frozen, Critical | Protect specimen from light. Centrifuge ASAP or within 1 hour of collection. |
Minimum Specimen Requirements
| Volume | Type | Container | Collect Temperature | Transport Temperature | Special Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.3 mL |
Stability
| Environmental Condition | Description |
|---|---|
| Ambient | After separation from cells: Unacceptable |
| Refrigerated | After separation from cells: Unacceptable |
| Frozen | After separation from cells: 1 month |
Days Performed
Sun - Sat
Turnaround Time
2 - 7 days
Methodology
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) |
Reference Range
| Vitamin C | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sex | Age From | Age To | Type | Range | Range Unit |
| Years | 99 Years | Normal | 23 - 114 | umol/L |
Special Info
Thawing and refreezing of the specimen and exposure to light will result in decreased Vitamin C concentration. EDTA plasma, whole blood, body fluids, and grossly hemolyzed specimens are unacceptable. This test is New York DOH approved.
Clinical Info
Useful to evaluate scurvy, Vitamin C deficiency or ascorbic acid metabolism. Vitamin C concentrations lower than 11 umol/L indicate deficiency. Concentrations between 11 and 23 umol/L are consistent with a moderate risk of deficiency due to inadequate tissue stores. Vitamin C concentration is reported as micromoles per liter (umol/L). To convert concentration to milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), multiply the result by 0.0176.