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Test Code ACET Acetaminophen Level

Additional Codes

Cerner

NextGen

Tox Acetaminophen Level

Acetaminophen Level

Alternate Name(s)

Tylenol

Useful For

Acetaminophen is a commonly used therapeutic drug with analgesic and antipyretic properties.  Excessive doses of acetaminophen can have toxic effects with the most common being hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity.  The drug may also cause acute tubular necrosis, pancreatitis and myocardial necrosis. Acetaminophen half-life is normally 2-3 hours, and hepatic damage is likely if it exceeds 4 hours.

Methodology

Colorimetric (reflectance spectrophotometry)

Patient Preparation

Toxicity: Draw at least 4 hours after ingestion and at 2-hour intervals thereafter.

Collection Instructions

Standard phlebotomy practices

Specimen Requirements

Container

Specimen Type

Tube

Lithium Heparin Plasma

Serum

 or 

SST

(Up to 24 hours from collection)

  or  or 

 

Stability

Storage

Temperature

Stability

Room Temperature

18-28°C

≤ 2 weeks

If separated within 5 days

Refrigerated

 2-8°C

≤ 2 weeks

If separated within 5 days

Frozen

≤-18 °C

≤ 45 days

Rejection Criteria

 Gross Hemolysis

Result Reporting and Reference Values

Reported in µg/mL.

Age

Low

High

Critical Low

Critical High

0D-150Y

10

30

N/A

>150

Reflex Testing

None

Limitations

  • Ortho reports a bias with the following:
    • Hemoglobin at 700 mg/dL can cause a -4.1 µg/mL bias
    • Bilirubin at 15 mg/dL can cause a +4.2 µg/mL bias
    • Gentisic acid at 5 mg/dL can cause a +4.0 µg/mL bias
    • Total protein at 4.0 g/dL can cause a +4.6 µg/mL bias
    • Total protein at 9.0 g/dL can cause a -4.5 µg/mL bias
  • Ortho reports no significant effect with the following: 
    • Lipemia up to 800 mg/dL
  • The following interpretive data is visible to practitioners:
    • Total protein below 4.0 creates a positive bias (about 10% at 50 ug/ml), total protein above 9.0 creates a negative bias (about 10% at 50 ug/ml)