Impact of recentrifugation of blood collection tubes on chemistry and immunochemistry analytes after 24 and 72 hours of refrigerated storage on the Roche Cobas 8000 platform

Background: We discovered that blood collection tubes (BCTs) were inadvertently recentrifuged due to improper placement on our automated preanalytical system. This study was undertaken to determine the impact of recentrifugation of blood specimens collected in serum separator (SSTs) and plasma separator (PSTs) tubes after refrigerated storage for 24 and 72 h on the concentrations of chemistry and immunochemistry analytes. Methods: Blood was collected from 20 volunteers in SSTs and PSTs, centrifuged, and 36 chemistry and 14 immunochemistry analytes were measured at baseline in single-centrifuged tubes on a Roche Cobas 8000 chemistry platform. After baseline testing, the BCTs were refrigerated for 24 or 72 h, recentrifuged and retested. The results were compared to the single-centrifuged tubes for statistical significance. Results: Recentrifugation of BCTs after 24 or 72 h of refrigerated storage showed statistically significant increases in lactate dehydrogenase activity and potassium concentration and statistically significant decreases in glucose (except in SSTs after 24 h of refrigerated storage) and CO2 concentration, but no significant differences in immunochemistry analyte concentrations. Conclusion: It may be safe to report most routine chemistry and immunochemistry analyte concentrations from recentrifuged SSTs and PSTs on the Roche Cobas 8000, which may save time and costs associated with recollection and retesting.

Automated summary

This study investigated the impact of recentrifugation of blood specimens on the concentrations of chemistry and immunochemistry analytes. The results showed significant changes in certain analyte concentrations after recentrifugation, suggesting that it may be safe to report most routine analyte concentrations from recentrifuged blood collection tubes, potentially saving time and costs associated with recollection and retesting.