State of the art of preanalysis in laboratories in Italy performing endocrinological tests.

We conducted an inquiry among Italian laboratories regarding the preanalytical phase for endocrinological tests. The form presented two questions: number of analyses per year and use of closed or open system for blood drawing. The laboratories were asked to insert the hormones' names in some boxes representing different materials for endocrinological tests, namely serum from plain tubes and from gel separator tubes, plasma from K3EDTA, Na2EDTA, lithium heparin with or without gel separator, sodium citrate, sodium fluoride and potassium oxalate, and citric acid-citrate-dextrose (ACD), and also the particular mode of storage of specimen, as addition of antiproteolytic substances and use of iced water. The analytes' list included the most common endocrinological assays. The data collected indicate that traditional, syringe-based systems are still widely used in Italy, particularly in private and small and medium-sized public laboratories. Serum is the most often used material for endocrinological tests. A very important finding was the use of gel separator tubes, wider than plan tubes, for obtaining serum. Finally, the laboratories demonstrated very good attention to the preanalytical phase, as judged from particular storage for some delicate analytes.