Category

SPECIAL CHEMISTRY.

Sub Category

DRUGS/ TDM/ TOXICOLOGY.

Synonyms/Aliases

VALPROATE; SODIUM VALPROATE.

Abbreviations

N/A.

Type

INDIVIDUAL TEST.

7 DAYS

RESULTS READY/ REPORTED IN 7 WORKING DAYS.

Method

IMMUNOASSAY.

Temp

REFRIGERATED.

Setup

BATCHED.

Components Parameters

NOT APPLICABLE.

PRE-ANALYTIC CONSIDERATIONS

Test Ordering Instructions

FILL OUT TEST REQUEST FORM FULLY & LEGIBLY. DETAILED SPECIFIC HISTORY IS REQUIRED E.G. EXACT INDICATION FOR DRUG MONITORING, DRUG HISTORY (I.E. DOSE, ROUTE OF ADMINISTRATION, DURATION SINCE TREATMENT WAS STARTED OR DOSE ADJUSTED, CONCURRENT MEDICATION), HEIGHT, WEIGHT.

Patient preparation

SPECIFIC TIMING APPLIES I.E. COLLECT TROUGH (PRE-DOSE) SAMPLE.

Sample type

SERUM.

Container/ preservative

PLAIN (RED TOP) VACUTAINER. SERUM SEPARATOR TUBES (SST/ GEL) ARE UNACCEPTABLE.

Sample volume

3ML SERUM.

Rejection criteria

LABELING ISSUE (UNLABELED/ MISLABELED); MISSING REQUEST FORM; MISMATCH BETWEEN REQUEST FORM & SAMPLE DETAILS; MISSING AGE/ GENDER; WRONG SAMPLE TYPE (INCLUDING SST/ GEL TUBES); INSUFFICIENT SAMPLE; MISSING HISTORY AS EXPOUNDED UNDER TEST ORDERING INSTRUCTIONS.

Other Instructions

CENTRIFUGE SST (SERUM GEL TUBES) WITHIN 1-2 HOURS OF COLLECTION. CENTRIFUGE RED TOP VACUTAINERS AND ALIQUOT SERUM WITHIN 1-2 HOURS OF COLLECTION. THE SEPARATION VIAL MUST BE LABELED WITH AT LEAST 2 PATIENT IDENTIFIERS AND THE SAMPLE TYPE.

Reference intervals

INTERPRETIVE DATA IS PROVIDED ON THE REPORT.

Clinical Utility

OPTIMIZE DRUG DOSAGE (TO AVOID SUBTHERAPEUTIC & TOXIC DOSES I.E. ENSURE TARGET THERAPEUTIC RANGE IS ACHIEVED); TO VERIFY COMPLIANCE. VALPROIC ACID IS AN ANTI-EPILEPTIC (ANTI-CONVULSANT) DRUG.

Test Limitations/ Confounders

LEVELS ARE INFLUENCED BY DOSAGE REGIMEN, DRUG INTERACTIONS, INDIVIDUAL'S METABOLIZING CAPACITY, LIVER DYSFUNCTION. SST/ GEL TUBES CAN ADSORB THE DRUG LEADING TO FALSELY LOWERED DRUG LEVELS & SHOULD BE AVOIDED.