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Vitamin E Level

Alpha-tocopherol Levels, Vitamin E, Serum

Test Codes

EPIC: LAB130, Beaker: XVITE

Department

Toxicology

Instructions

The patient must be fasting 12-14 hours prior to specimen collection (for infants, collect specimen just prior to next schedule feeding).

Patient must not consume any alcohol or ingest vitamin supplements for 24 hours before the specimen is drawn.

If Vitamin E and Vitamin A is ordered together, only one tube is required.

Specimen Collection Criteria

Collect: One plain Red-top tube.

• Protect specimen from light
  • Wrap tube lightly in paper towel or foil.
  • Plastic amber pour over tubes acceptable to protect from light.
• Send specimen for processing immediately after collection.

NOTE: Due to no weekend delivery. Specimens received in lab between Friday and Sunday will not be sent out until Monday.

Physician Office/Draw Specimen Preparation

Protect specimen from light. Let specimen clot 30-60 minutes and immediately centrifuge to separate serum from cells. Transfer serum to an amber plastic transport tube and refrigerate (2-8°C or 36-46°F).

Preparation for Courier Transport

Transport: Light-protected serum, refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F). (Minimum: 2.0 mL)

Rejection Criteria

• Hemolyzed specimens.
• Lipemic specimens.
• Specimens not collected and processed as indicated.
• Specimens not protected from light.

In-Lab Processing

Protect specimen from light. Let specimen clot 30-60 minutes and immediately centrifuge to separate serum from cells. Transfer serum to an amber plastic transport tube and refrigerate (2-8°C or 36-46°F).

Transport: Light-protected serum, refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F). (Minimum: 2.0 mL)

Storage

Specimen Stability for Testing:

Room Temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F): Unacceptable
Refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F): 14 days
Frozen (-20°C/-4°F or below): 14 days

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 Corewell Health Reference Laboratory, Grand Rapids, MI.

Performed

Tuesday and Thursday.
Results available in 1-5 days.

Reference Range

By report.

Test Methodology

Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Specific quantitation of alpha-tocopherol.

Interpretation

Serum vitamin E concentrations are correlated with serum lipids, and accurate assessment may require calculation of a lipid ratio.

Significant deficiency of vitamin E (less than 3.0 mg/L) is associated with improper specimen collection and malabsorption syndromes. Significant excess (greater than 40 mg/L) is often associated with hyperlipidemia.

Clinical Utility

This assay is used to evaluate vitamin E deficiency in hemolytic disease in premature infants, and neuromuscular disease in infants (and adults) with chronic cholestasis. It is also used to evaluate patients on long-term parenteral nutrition, patients with malignancy or malabsorption, and to investigate brown-bowel syndrome. Infertility in both males and females may be a manifestation of vitamin E deficiency. Vitamin E has been used for the treatment of habitual abortion and sterility. There has been no conclusive evidence that vitamin E has any beneficial effect on these conditions. High doses of vitamin E appear to be tolerated without significant adverse effects.

CPT Codes

84446
LOINC:  1823-4

Contacts

Last Updated

7/21/2024