Time-Dependent Absorption of Therapeutic Drugs by the Gel of the Greiner Vacuette Blood Collection Tube

Abstract

Stability of therapeutic drugs in sera collected in Becton-Dickinson VACUTAINER serum separator SST tubes has been well studied. Recently, the Greiner Vacuette serum separator tube has become available for blood collection. However, stability of therapeutic drugs in sera when the specimen is collected in the Greiner tube has not been reported. The authors studied the stability of 15 commonly monitored drugs in sera when stored on the gel of the Greiner serum separator tubes. The drugs studied were amikacin, gentamycin, tobramycin, vancomycin, digoxin, quinidine, theophylline, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, valproic acid, tricyclic antidepressants, salicylate, acetaminophen, and ethanol. The authors compared the concentrations of drugs in sera stored in plain tubes (no gel) and in sera stored in the Greiner tubes containing serum separator gel. They observed a significant decline in the concentrations of tricyclic antidepressants when stored in the Greiner tubes. Interestingly, concentrations of amitriptyline declined more than its metabolite nortriptyline and concentration of imipramine also decreased more than its metabolite desipramine. The concentration of carbamazepine also decreased slightly over time when serum was stored in the Greiner tube. Although declines in carbamazepine concentrations on prolonged storage in the Greiner tubes were statistically significant, the decreases may not be clinically significant. The concentrations of the other drugs studied did not decline when stored in the Greiner tubes. The authors conclude that the Greiner brand tube is not suitable for blood collection for analysis of tricyclic antidepressants.

A dried blood spots technique based LC–MS/MS method for the analysis of posaconazole in human whole blood samples

“…The current sampling process is onerous in terms of time given that the physicians require rapid data turnaround in order to make relevant clinical decisions regarding very ill patients. It is important to note that collection methods that utilize separator gel tubes to harvest serum have the potential to underestimate exposure because of adsorption to the polymeric gel [46][47][48][49][50].…”

Comparison of Improvacuter™ tubes with BD Vacutainer™ tubes for various hormones in the aspects of stability and influence of gel separators

“…In many studies the decline Brought to you by | University of Louisville Authenticated Download Date | 2/4/15 10:33 AM Lower RL, the lower range limit calculated from the CV A (%) of the results obtained from the reference tube (A) at 0 h; Upper RL, the upper range limit of the CV A (%) of the results obtained from the reference tube (A) at 0 h. a Results excceding the reference lower or upper range limits A: 5 mL secondary tube containing the serum transferred from without gel BD Vacutainer Clot Activator tube just after centrifugation, B: 8 mL Improvacuter Gel and Clot Activator tube, C: 8.5 mL BD Vacutainer SST II Advance tube, D: 10 mL Improvacuter tube. in the therapeutic drug levels was associated with their absorbtion by gel [11,12]. Morovat In our study the data obtained from statistical analyses (two-tailed paired t-test and Wilcoxon's test) at 0 h were statistically significant for cortisol, estradiol, free T4, testosterone, TSH and LH between BD Vacutainer Clot Activator tube, BD Vacutainer SST II Advance tube and Improvacuter Gel and Clot Activator tube (Table 2).…”

Evaluation of BD Vacutainer SST™ II plus tubes for special proteins testing

“…However, some limitations associated with gel tubes. One limitation was that the gel contained within serum separator tubes had the potential for adsorbing analytes of interest (8,9) or releasing material that may interfere with analytes (10). Another limitation of serum separator tubes was that certain analytes, such as therapeutic drugs and steroid hormones, may be instable when serum were stored on the barrier for long periods of time (2,3).…”