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.