Eurofins Biomnis code

AMMO

Synonyms

• Ammonia
• NH3

Clinic significance

The concentration of ammonium ion (NH4+) in the plasma is low as long as the urea cycle is functioning normally in the liver. Hyperammonemia is observed whenever liver function is seriously impaired, be it acute (poisoning, fulminant viral hepatitis, etc.) or chronic (e.g. cirrhosis). It should be tested for in new-borns in whom hereditary metabolic disease is a possibility (e.g. an enzyme deficiency, hyperglycemia with ketosis or Reye's syndrome).

Prenalytics

• 1 mL
• Decanted, non lipemic, non haemolysed EDTA plasma
• FROZEN

Further information

• 1 individual aliquot for this analysis.
• SPECIAL OR DELICATE SAMPLE: the tubes, sampled from the fasting patient, must be filled completely and remain perfectly sealed. Immediately place the blood on ice, perform a refrigeratd centrifugation, settle the plasma and freeze within 20 minutes following sampling. Lipaemic and/or hemolysed samples must be removed. Sampling on EDTA only

Methodology

Chemistry - Spectrophotometry

Turnaround time

2 days