Specimen Collection Manual and Test Catalog
CARNITINE
Geisinger Epic Procedure Code: LAB1949 Geisinger Epic ID: 21330Serum (preferred) or plasma.
1 mL aliquot of serum or plasma; minimum 0.5 mL.
Centrifuge and transfer serum or plasma specimens to clean, plastic, screw-capped vial(s). Freeze immediately after separation. Transport on refrigerant coolant, or transport frozen samples on dry ice. Avoid freeze/thaw cycles.
Frozen.
Room temperature: 5 hours. Refrigerated: 5 days. Frozen: 30 days.
Specimens received room temperature. Moderate and gross hemolysis. Stability limits exceeded.
Report available 5 days.
The CPT codes provided by GML are based on AMA guidelines and are for informational purposes only.
Free carnitine, total carnitine, carnitine esters, esterified/free ratio.
CARNPL, Quest test code 70107
Serum carnitine analysis is useful in the diagnosis and monitoring of patients with carnitine deficiency (either primary or secondary). Primary carnitine deficiency is an autosomal recessively inherited genetic condition that affects carnitine uptake by cells and tissues through a defect in the plasma membrane carnitine transporter. Secondary carnitine deficiency can be seen in some disease states or in patients on carnitine-poor diets, but is also seen in a number of metabolic disorders. In these disorders, carnitine complexes with the accumulated substrate of the blocked metabolic step, and the resulting acylcarnitine ester is excreted in the urine, leading to a depletion of carnitine in the patient.