Specimen Requirements

Patient Preparation

1. Patient should be instructed to eat and drink nothing except for water after 12 midnight night prior to test.

2. There should not be a glucose IV in place.

Specimen Collection
Submit only 1 of the following specimens:

Plasma

Draw blood in a green-top (lithium heparin) tube from a fasting patient. (Hemolyzed specimen is not acceptable.) Spin down and send 2 mL of lithium heparin plasma as follows:

1. Draw a fasting specimen.
2. Patient is given a lactose solution orally of:

A. 50 g for adults

B. 2 g/kg (up to 50 g) for children.

3. Start timing when patient begins to drink lactose solution. Instruct patient to drink whole amount within several minutes.

4. Have patient remain quiet for duration of test.

5. Draw specimens at 30-minutes, 1-, 2-, and 3-hours post lactose administration.
Note: 1. Indicate corresponding draw time and plasma.

2. Label specimens appropriately (corresponding draw time and as plasma).

Serum
Draw blood in a gold-top serum gel tube from a fasting patient. (Hemolyzed specimen is not acceptable.) Spin down and send 2 mL of serum as follows:

1. Draw a fasting specimen.
2. Patient is given a lactose solution orally of:

A. 50 g for adults

B. 2 g/kg (up to 50 g) for children.

3. Start timing when patient begins to drink lactose solution. Instruct patient to drink whole amount within several minutes.

4. Have patient remain quiet for duration of test.

5. Draw specimens at 30-minutes, 1-, 2-, and 3-hours post lactose administration.
Note: 1. Indicate corresponding draw time and serum.

2. Label specimens appropriately (corresponding draw time and as serum).