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Specimen Collection Manual and Test Catalog

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IGF BINDING PROTEIN-3 (IGFBP-3)

Geisinger Epic Procedure Code:  LAB2516    Geisinger Epic ID:  17696

SPECIMEN COLLECTION
Specimen type: 

Serum


Preferred collection container: 
Alternate collection container: 
6 mL red-top (plain, non-serum separator) tube
Specimen required: 

1 mL aliquot of serum; minimum 0.5 mL.



SPECIMEN PROCESSING
Processing instructions: 

Allow to clot. Centrifuge 10 minutes at 3000 rpm.


Transport temperature: 

Room temperature.


Specimen stability: 

Room Temperature: 7 days. Refrigerated: 14 days. Frozen: 1 year (-20°C).


Rejection criteria: 

Gross hemolysis • Grossly lipemic



TEST DETAILS
CPT code(s):  83520
Note: The billing party has sole responsibility for CPT coding.  Any questions regarding coding should be directed to the payer being billed.
The CPT codes provided by GML are based on AMA guidelines and are for informational purposes only.

Test includes: 

IgF binding protein 3


Methodology: 
Immunoassay
Synonyms: 

IGF, Binding Protein 3, IGFB3, Quest test code 34458


Clinical significance: 

Insulin-like growth factor binding proteins bind IGF-I and IGF-II with high affinity but do not bind insulin. Of the six distinct IGF binding proteins structurally characterized at this time, IGFBP-3 has been shown to be the major carrier of the IGFs, transporting approximately 95% of circulating IGF-I and IGF-II. IGFBP-3 is growth hormone (GH) responsive. Thus, levels are high in cromegaly and low in hypopituitarism, and levels increase in GH-deficient children after GH administration. Thus, both assays and the ratios of IGF-I/IGFBP-2 and IGFBP-2/IGFBP-3 are useful as markers of GH action and for discriminating between growth hormone deficiency and short stature due to other etiologies in children. Other causes of short stature that result in reduced IGFBP-3 levels include poorly controlled diabetes. The IGFBP-3 assay is useful in assessing nutritional status, since IGFBP-3 decreases during both caloric and protein restriction.


Review Date:  12/12/2024

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