Comparison of Glucose, AST, and Cholesterol Test Results Using Plain Vacutainer Tubes and Clot Activator Vacutainer Tubes

Kholidah Zafirah Inas Fatin, Edy Haryanto, Ayu Puspitasari

Abstract


Laboratory examinations play a crucial role in supporting disease diagnosis; therefore, laboratory test results must be accurate, valid, and reliable. However, errors may occur during various stages of the examination process, including the selection of blood collection tubes, which can influence test outcomes. In clinical chemistry testing, red-capped vacutainer tubes are commonly used, either plain tubes or tubes containing clot activators. The addition of clot activators should not affect the quality of analyte measurements. This study aimed to compare glucose, AST, and cholesterol levels in serum samples collected using plain vacutainer tubes and vacutainer tubes with clot activators. Serum samples were obtained from 16 respondents and analyzed at a primary healthcare laboratory in Surabaya. This study employed an analytic observational method with a cross-sectional and comparative study design. Data normality was assessed using the Shapiro–Wilk test, followed by the Independent t-test for normally distributed data and the Mann–Whitney test for non-normally distributed data. The results showed no significant differences (p > 0.05) in glucose, AST, and cholesterol levels between serum collected in plain vacutainer tubes and serum collected in vacutainer tubes with clot activators. Therefore, both types of vacutainer tubes can be used interchangeably for these clinical chemistry examinations.

Keywords


Vacutainer Tubes, Clot Activator, Glucose, AST, Cholesterol

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.30602/jlk.v9i2.2083

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