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Stability of some clinical biochemistry parameters in equine serum/plasma stored at refrigerator and room temperatures: a preliminary study

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Abstract

Accurate measurement of clinical biochemistry parameters is an essential tool for the correct interpretation of clinical biochemistry abnormalities. A general problem faced by most clinical laboratories is inability to process blood samples received late or submitted in large numbers. This delay in sample processing is usually unavoidable. This present study evaluated the stability of some biochemistry parameters in equine blood before and after storage at room (25 °C) and refrigerator (4 °C) temperatures. Five milliliters of blood were collected from external jugular veins of 17 apparently healthy adult horses kept at Obollo Afor horse lairage, Enugu State. The blood samples were collected into anti-coagulant glass test tubes and in non-anticoagulant glass test tubes to harvest plasma and serum respectively. Serum and plasma were analyzed shortly (0 h), and then after storage at refrigerator and room temperatures, at 24, 48, 72 h. Standard procedures were followed in the determination of plasma Malondialdehyde (MDA), plasma glucose, serum calcium, sodium, potassium, and uric acid concentrations. Comparisons to the fresh samples (hour 0) (P < 0.05) revealed that plasma MDA was stable for 48 h at both 4 and 25 °C; serum uric acid, potassium, and calcium were stable, less than 24 h post sample collection, at both 4 and 25 °C. Serum sodium and plasma glucose were stable at 4 °C for up to 72 h. The results of this study suggest that the ideal temperature for storage of equine serum/plasma for serum sodium and plasma glucose determinations is 4 °C. Plasma stored for 48 h at either 4 or 25 °C is suitable for malondialdehyde determination. Also, serum uric acid, potassium, and calcium determinations should be carried out immediately upon separation of clotted blood from serum so as to avoid obtaining erroneous result.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the head of Obollo-Afor horse lairage, Udenu Local Government, Enugu State, Nigeria, for enabling us sample the horses. No grant was made available for this study

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clinical Pathology Unit, Department of Veterinary Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, 410001, Nigeria

    Agina Onyinyechukwu Ada & Ikechukwu Prince Joshua

  2. Animal Care Services Konsult, Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria

    Agina Benson Chukwunonso

Authors
  1. Agina Onyinyechukwu Ada
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  2. Ikechukwu Prince Joshua
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  3. Agina Benson Chukwunonso
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Correspondence to Agina Onyinyechukwu Ada.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical consideration

The handling of the horses during blood sample collection was done humanely in accordance with the Ethics and Regulation Guiding the Use of animals as approved by the University of Nigeria Senate committee on Medical and Research ethics.

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Ada, A.O., Joshua, I.P. & Chukwunonso, A.B. Stability of some clinical biochemistry parameters in equine serum/plasma stored at refrigerator and room temperatures: a preliminary study. Comp Clin Pathol 26, 465–469 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-017-2399-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-017-2399-1

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