Stability Study of Clinical Chemical Analytes in Canine Serum When Stored in Refrigerator

Abstract

The present study investigates the stability of clinical chemical analytes in serum stored for 14 days at +7°C. The study population included 10 dogs over 10 kg that came to the small animal teaching hospital NMBU between 30th of November till the 8th of December 2020. The dogs presented varied in breed, sex, age and clinical signs. After coagulation and centrifugation, the serum from each dog was divided into 4 aliquots, three were put into the refrigerator (+7°C) while one was analysed the same day. One aliquot from each dog was analysed after 0, 3, 7 and 14 days. The clinical chemical analytes measured were A:G, Alb, ALT, Amy, AP, AST, BA, Ca, Chol, CK, Cl, cortisol, Crea, CRP, Fruc, FT4, Glob, Glu, K, Lip, Na, Na:K, P, Tbili, Tprot, TSH, TT4 and urea. The results showed that most of the clinical chemical analytes in serum were stable at +7°C for 14 days. The most unstable clinical chemical analytes in the present study were CK, CRP, Fruc, FT4 and Tbili, all had over 10% concentration change after 14 days. This storage condition affected the clinical relevance of CK, Cl, cortisol, Crea, CRP, Fruc, FT4 and P.