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Test Code LAB95 Lactic Acid (Lactate)

Important Note

This test is not Lactic Acid Dehydrogenase nor Lactate Dehydrogenase. For those tests, order LDH.

Additional Codes

CPT Code: 83605

Performing Laboratory

TidalHealth Peninsula Regional - Core Laboratory: Chemistry

Specimen Requirements

Draw a full, grey-top (potassium oxalate/sodium fluoride) tube of arterial or venous blood without use of tourniquet and fist.  Place specimen on ice immediately after draw. If collected onsite, forward whole blood specimen to laboratory immediately. If collected offsite, centrifuge immediately after collection and separate plasma into aliquot container. Label specimen appropriately and indicate arterial or venous collection.

 

Whole blood specimens should be received in lab within 15 minutes; however, the lab will accept the specimen up to 30 minutes after collection.  Delays in lactic acid analysis may increase the lactic acid by 0.1 to 0.2 mmol/L in as little as 30 minutes.

 

Plasma specimens immediately centrifuged and separated after collection are stable for 8 hours at room temperature and 14 days refrigerated at 2 - 8° Celsius.

Reference Values

Arterial: 

<1.5 mmol/L

 

Venous: 

<2 years: 0.9 - 2.9 mmol/L

2 - 17 years: 0.9 - 2.2 mmol/L

≥18 years: 0.4 - 2.0 mmol/L

Critical value (automatic call-back): ≥3.0 mmol/L

Additional Information

Available STAT