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Test Code VB12 Vitamin B12 Level

Additional Codes

Cerner

NextGen

Vitamin B12 Level

Vitamin B12 Level

Alternate Name(s)

Cobalamin

Methodology

Competitive binding immunoassay

Patient Preparation

None

Collection Instructions

Standard phlebotomy practices.

Specimen Requirements

Container

Specimen Type

Tube

Lithium Heparin Plasma

PST

 or  or 

Serum

 or 

SST

 or  or 

 

Stability

Storage

Temperature

Stability

Room Temperature

18-28°C

Not recommended

Refrigerated

 2-8°C

≤ 7 days

Frozen

≤-20 °C

4 weeks

Thaw 1 time only

Rejection Criteria

Gross Hemolysis

Turbid Specimens

Result Reporting and Reference Values

Reported in pg/mL.

           

Age

Low

High

Critical Low

Critical High

0-1Y

184

>1000

N/A

N/A

1Y-12Y

324

>1000

N/A

N/A

12Y-18Y

237

912

N/A

N/A

18Y-150Y

239

931

N/A

N/A

Reflex Testing

None

Limitations

  • Ortho reports a bias with the following:
    • Cobinamide dicyanide at 9.6 µmol/L may cause a positive bias
    • Biotin can cause a positive bias.
  • Ortho reports no significant effect with the following:
    • Bilirubin up to 20 mg/dL
    • Hemoglobin up to 150 mg/dL

Useful For

Reduced concentrations of vitamin B12 may indicate the presence of vitamin dependent anemia. Elevated concentrations of vitamin B12 have been associated with pregnancy, the use of oral contraceptives and multivitamins and in myeloproliferative diseases such as chronic granulocytic leukemia and myelomonocytic leukemia. An elevated concentration of vitamin B12 is not known to cause clinical problems. Measurement of vitamin B12 is intended to identify and monitor vitamin B12 deficiency. This can arise from the following; defect in secretion of Intrinsic Factor, resulting in inadequate absorption from food (pernicious anemia); gastrectomy and malabsorption due to surgical resection; and a variety of bacterial or inflammatory diseases affecting the small intestine.