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| Title | INSULIN SERUM/PLASMA |
| Specimen Requirement | <p>1-SST/1 mL serum. After 30 minutes of clotting, promptly centrifuge and refrigerate.</p>
<p>ALTERNATE SPECIMEN: PLASMA--HEPARIN (SODIUM OR LITHIUM)</p> |
| Methodology | |
| Stability | Refrigerated 7 days |
| Reference Range | By Report* |
| Turnaround | 5 DAYS |
| Clinical Use | <p>Evaluate insulin producing neoplasm (islet cell tumor, insulinoma) or pancreatic islet cell hyperplasia; work-up for hypoglycemia to evaluate insulin production in diabetes mellitus. Insulin-secreting tumors usually present with hypoglycemic symptoms and are diagnosed by a 72-hour prolonged fast. After 72 hours of fasting an insulin concentration greater than 6 mU/L indicates an insulinoma. Factitious hypoglycemia from exogenous insulin shows increased insulin, but not proinsulin or C-peptide.</p> |
| Test Code | INSS |
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