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Dexamethasone

Test Codes

EPIC: LAB7142, SOFT: XDEXA, ARUP #2003248

Department

Send Outs

Instructions

Specimen should be collected between 8 am – 10 am.

Specimen Collection Criteria

Collect (preferred specimen): One Gold-top SST tube.
Also acceptable: One plain Red-top tube.

Physician Office/Draw Specimen Preparation

Let specimen clot 30-60 minutes then centrifuge to separate serum from cells within two hours of collection. Transfer serum to a plastic transport tube and refrigerate (2-8°C or 36-46°F).

Preparation for Courier Transport

Transport: 1.0 mL serum, refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F). (Minimum: 0.5 mL)

Rejection Criteria

Specimen not collected and processed as indicated.

In-Lab Processing

Let specimen clot 30-60 minutes then centrifuge to separate serum from cells within two hours of collection.  Transfer serum to a plastic transport tube and refrigerate (2-8°C or 36-46°F).

Transport: 1.0 mL serum, refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F). (Minimum: 0.5 mL)

Storage

Specimen Stability for Testing:
Room temperature (20-26°C or 68-78°F): Unacceptable
Refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F): 1 week
Frozen (-20°C/-4°F or below): 6 months

Specimen Storage in Department Prior to Disposal:
Specimen retention time is determined by the policy of the reference laboratory. Contact the Send Outs Laboratory with any questions.

Laboratory

Sent to ARUP Laboratories, Salt Lake City, UT.

Performed

Wednesday and Saturday.
Results available in 3-6 days.

Reference Range

Adults baseline: Less than 50 ng/dL

8:00 am draw following 1 mg dexamethasone between 11:00 pm and 12:00 am the previous evening: 140-295 ng/dL

8:00 am draw following 8 mg dexamethasone (4 x 2 mg doses) between 11:00 pm and 12:00 am the previous evening:  1600-2850 ng/dL

Test Methodology

Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Interpretation

 By Report

CPT Codes

80299
LOINC:  14062-4

Contacts

Last Updated

8/16/2023