5-HIAA, Urine - Saskatoon
Discipline
Biochemistry
Overview
Description
Ordering Recommendations
- Fluorouracil and melphalan may elevate levels as a result of their in vivo activity. Patient's physician must be consulted about medication discontinuation.
- During collection restrict fruit, fruit juice, and nuts, especially bananas, avocados, eggplant, kiwi, pineapples, plums, tomatoes, walnuts and other foods containing serotonin.
- Random collections are not acceptable for testing
Specimen Information
Specimen types accepted
- Urine (24 hour collection)
- Random collections are not acceptable for testing
Specimen collection container
- Preferred collection container: 24 hour urine jug with no additive
- Alternative collection container (24h aliquot): sterile wide mouth screw cap container
Collection procedure
- Refrigerate during collection
- See 24 hour urine collection instructions
- State exact times, dates and volume of collection on requisition
- Deliver to a hospital test centre or any patient service centre as soon as possible after the collection is complete. Non acidified/non frozen samples must be delivered to St. Paul’s within 4 hours of collection.
Required volume
- 12 mL
Transport and stability
- 24 Hour Urine Jug
- Refrigerate during collection
- Adjust pH of an aliquot to < 3 within 4 hours of collection by drop wise addition of 6N HCl
- Freeze aliquot within 4 hours of collection
Rejection criteria
- Specimens received where the collection protocols were not followed
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Acceptance and Rejection Criteria
Performance
Days/times performed
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Other information
- The following drugs cause physiological interference with the levels of urine 5-HIAA:
- Physiological decreases: chlorophenylalanine, corticotropin, guanfacine, imipramine, isocarboxazid, isoniazid, levodopa, MAO inhibitors, methyDOPA, moclobemide, octreotide.
- Physiological increases: cisplatin, fluorouracil, melphalan, reserpine, rauwolfia.
- Reflex Testing: Creatinine; result required for interpretation
Last Updated: March 11, 2025