| Alternate: | NH4; NH3 |
| Includes: | Ammonia |
| Department: | Chemistry |
| Phone: | (937) 641-3428 |
| SQ Code: | AMON |
| Available: | Daily, 24 hours |
| Turnaround: | 20 minutes |
| Specimen: | Heparinized plasma. Must be venipuncture. |
| Volume: | 0.5 mL blood. Tube must be full, tightly capped, and PLACED ON ICE IMMEDIATELY. |
| Container: | Green top (heparinized) vacutainer or microtainer (see above instructions) |
| Temperature: | Place specimen immediately on ice and transport to lab within 15 minutes after collection. |
| Rejection: | Specimen not on ice, in transport longer than 15 minutes, hemolysis, traumatic stick. |
| Normal: | 10-40 µmol/L |
| Uses: | Liver function test, supports clinical diagnosis of hepatic encephalopathy, hepatic cirrhosis, Reye's Syndrome, or aminoacidurias of infancy. |
| Limitations: | Sodium citrate increases ammonia levels; Do not use hemolyzed specimens; Avoid stasis; do not leave tourniquet on for longer than 15 seconds; Do not use Ammonium heparin tubes; only 80% of patients with Reye's Syndrome are reported to have elevated ammonia levels. |
| Method: | Enzymatic biochromatic rate (NADP/NADPH) |
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