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Test Code FOL Folate Level

EHR Test Codes

  Test Code Test Name
Atlas FOL Folate
Cerner FOL Folate Level

Specimen Requirements

Preparation of Patient: 

6 hour fast recommended but not required.

 

Container Type: 

Green Top 5mL Lithium Heparin Separator Tube

Or

 

Gold Top 6mL SST Gel & Clot Activator Tube

Specimen Type:

Plasma or Serum

 

Specimen Volume: 

2.5 mL Plasma or Serum minimum .5 mL

 

Specimen Handling/Transport:

Separate plasma or serum from cells within 2 hours of collection.

Transport ambient room temperature.

 

Specimen Stability/Storage:

5 days refrigerated 2-8°C

 

Specimen Rejection:

Hemolysis

Performing Laboratory

Munson Medical Center Laboratories

Chemistry Department

Priority, Frequency, & Turnaround

Priority:

Non-Emergent

 

Frequency:

24 hours 7 days a week

 

Turnaround:

0 - 1 days

Methodology

Chemiluminescent Immunoassay

Reporting

Reference Range:

≥ 6 ng/mL

 

Critical Decision: 

None

Clinical Significance

Nutritional and macrocytic anemias can be caused by a deficiency of folate. This deficiency can result from diets devoid of raw fruits, vegetables or other foods rich in folic acid, as may be the case with chronic alcoholics, drug addicts, and the elderly. In addition, low serum folate during pregnancy has been associated with neural tube defects in the fetus. Dietary deficiency and malabosorption are the major causes of folate deficiency in humans. Folate is necessary for normal metabolism, DNA synthesis and red blood cell regeneration.

CPT Code(s)

82746

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