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Test Code CRBM Carbamazepine

Additional Codes

Cerner

NextGen

Carbamazepine Level

Carbamazepine Level

Tegretol Level

 

Alternate Name(s)

Tegretol Level

Methodology

Multiple-point, Immuno-rate (reflectance spectrophotometry), Enzymatic Heterogenous CIA

Patient Preparation

  • For toxicity- draw anytime.
  • For periodic testing- draw just before next dose.

Collection Instructions

Standard phlebotomy practices.

Specimen Requirements

Container

Specimen Type

Tube

Serum

 or 

SST

Stability is only 24 hours regardless of storage conditions.

 or  or 

 

Stability

Storage

Temperature

Stability

Room Temperature

18-28°C

≤ 5 days

If separated within 4 hours

Refrigerated

 2-8°C

≤ 5 days

If separated within 4 hours

Frozen

≤-18 °C

≤ 6 months

Rejection Criteria

Gross Hemolysis

Result Reporting and Reference Values

Reported as µg/mL.

 

Low

High

Critical Low

Critical High

Therapeutic Range

4.0

12.0

N/A

15.0

Reflex Testing

None

Limitations

  • Ortho reports a bias with the following:
    • Total protein at <4.0 mg/dL has a negative bias
    • Total protein at >9.0 mg/dL has a positive bias
    • Ethamsylate at 3.0 mg/dL has a positive bias
    • Gentisic acid at 5.0 mg/dL has a positive bias
    • N-acetylcystine at 100.0 mg/dL has a positive bias
    • Bilirubin (con) at 20 mg/dL has a positive bias
    • Hemolysis at 200 mg/dL has a negative bias
    • Ethanol at 394.0 mg/dL has a negative bias
  • Ortho reports no significant effect with the following:
    • Lipemia up to 800 mg/dL
  • The following interpretive data is reported will all results:
    • Total protein below 4.0 g/dl creates a negative bias, total protein above 9.0 g/dl creates a positive bias.

Useful For

Carbamazepine is indicated for the treatment of psychomotor and grand mal seizures as well as trigeminal neuralgia. Carbamazepine therapy is monitored for inadequate dosing or toxicity.