Cryoglobulins / Cryofibrinogen (Blood)

Testing Laboratory

Auckland Te Toka Tumai | Auckland Hospital

Department

Chemical Pathology

Delphic Registration Code (Alpha Code)

VCRY

Test Code (Numeric Code)

7964

Laboratory Handling

Phlebotomy

10mL of blood in plain (red top) tube as serum is always required (for both cryoglobulin and cryofibrinogen) Additional request for Cryofibrinogen:- 2 x 4mLs EDTA blood (lavender top) tube as plasma is also required.

Transport

37°C

Registration

If a Cryoglobulin and a Cryofibrinogen is requested, then the assays must be registered with different lab numbers that is the Cryoglobulin must get a different lab number and the Cryofibrinogen must get a separate lab number.

Laboratory

LabPlus Immunochemistry

Sample Stability

Up to 6 weeks after reporting

Synonyms

Cryoglobulin
Cryofibrinogen
Cryo
Cryoprotein
Cryocrit

Turnaround Time

8 days

Test is performed Monday-Friday.

Specimen Type

• Serum

Specimen Requirements

Tube/Container Type:

Preferred

• Plain (Red Top)

Preferred Sample Volume (ml)

10

Minimum Sample Volume (ml)

5

Paediatric Specimen Requirements

Tube/Container Type:

Preferred

• Plain (Red Top)

Preferred Sample Volume (ml)

10

Minimum Sample Volume (ml)

5

Pre-testing Requirements

Collection tubes should be pre-warmed to 37°C before blood collection

Once blood is collected, it should be maintained at 37°C in a heating block or thermal flask while being transported to the laboratory as soon as possible. Contact Phlebotomy on extn 25245 (ACH) or 22002 (SSH) to borrow a thermal flask.

If a Cryofibrinogen test is requested then 2x 4ml EDTA tubes must be collected together with the serum tubes.

Additional Specimen Information

Cryoglobulin / cryofibrinogen blood collection is NOT available from Awanui Laboratory Auckland.

Community patients have to come directly to Outpatient Blood Collection Clinic, level 6 (next to Chapel), Building 1 (support building), Auckland City hospital, 2 Park Road, Grafton between 8am and 2:30pm on any weekdays for the blood collection .The centre does not open on weekends or public holidays.

No need to make an appointment. Last collection is at 1430.

Aliquot Instructions

Sample Type

• Serum

Minimum Volume (ml)

5

Transport to Lab

Ambient (8 - 24 degrees Celsius)

Additional Referral/Aliquot Information

A. 10mL of blood in plain (red top) tube as serum is always required (for both cryoglobulin and cryofibrinogen)

B. Additional 10mL of blood in EDTA (lavender top) tube as plasma is also required for cryofibrinogen

C. Collection tubes should be pre-warmed to 37°C before blood collection

D. Once blood is collected, it should be maintained at 37°C in a heating block or thermal flask while being transported to the local laboratory as soon as possible

E. At the local laboratory, the serum should be incubated for at least 1 hour at 37°C before centrifugation

F. Centrifugation should be maintained at 37°C if possible.

G. Once the specimen is centrifuged, a minimum of 4mL of the serum (or plasma) should be separated from cells and aliquoted into a secondary tube

H. Ideally the secondary tube should be transported to LabPlus while maintained at 37°C. However, as it is not always practical to do so, it is acceptable for it to be transported at room temperature provided it is couriered to LabPlus as soon as possible. The separated specimen should not be stored or transported at 4°C or frozen at any stage as cryoglobulins can become unrecoverable at those temperatures.

I. LabPlus will reject samples received frozen or at 4°C.

J. Specimens received after 4 pm on Fridays or after 4pm on the day prior to statutory holidays may not be processed.

Test Method

Visual analysis.

Limitations / Interference

Lipaemic samples

Note: If any of the following tests are also requested, they all must have a separate lab number.

Alkaline Phosphatase Isoenzymes
Cerebrospinal fluid protein analysis (serum)
Serum Protein Electrophoresis
Lipoprotein Electrophoresis
DO NOT REFERIGERATE OR FREEZE

Procedure for receipting samples (Either red top or EDTA) arriving at 37°C or the separated aliquots of these samples (serum or plasma) from the external requestors arriving at ambient (room) temperature :

Stick a Cryoproteins sticker on the request form and write the arrival temperature of the samples.
If the red top tube and or the EDTA tube is received at 37°C take the labelled tubes in the thermo flask to the Ichem department with a copy of the request form. Put the samples in the 37°C water bath and the request form in the tray next to the water bath. Take the Thermo flask back to specimen reception and place it in Ross's crate to take back to outpatients.
If the aliquots of the red top tube (serum) and or the EDTA tube (plasma) is received at ambient (room) temperature add the aliquots to the ICHEM rack (ambient temperature) and keep at room temperature.
This is applicable for samples received during working hours and after hours.
If the samples either the red top tube, EDTA or aliquots (serum/plasma) arrives frozen or on ice or not collected or transported at 37°C

Stick a Cryoglobulins sticker on the request form.
Record the incorrect handling, that is how the sample was received example received frozen or in ice or not at 37°C.
Keep the sample at ambient (room) temperature and hand deliver to Ichem during normal working hours. For after hours add the sample to the Ichem ambient temperature rack with clear notes on the Cryoglobulin sticker.

Contact Information