Different collection tubes in cardiac biomarkers detection

The role played by different collection tubes is one of the more frequently forgotten parameters, which influences the quality of laboratory results.We aimed to determine whether there is a significant difference in assay of myoglobin, cardiac troponin I, and CK-MB depending on the presence of anticoagulant and gel separator in the collecting tubes.Blood samples were collected in 40 consecutive patients admitted for acute coronary syndrome. The samples were taken at the same moment in three different tubes (tubes without anticoagulant and with gel separator, heparin tubes with gel separator and heparin tubes without gelseparator;Venosafe, Terumo Europe, Leuven Belgium). Myoglobin, CK-MB and cardiac troponin I were measured with a double side (sandwich) chemiluminescent immuenzymatic assay (Access Myoglobin, Access CK-MB, Access AccuTnI).Cardiac troponin I was not influenced by the type of collection tube used. On the contrary, myoglobin and CK-MB showed a statistical difference depending on the test tube. In particular, there was a significant difference between tubes without anticoagulant and with gel separator and tubes with heparin and without gel.