5HIAA

5 Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid (HIAA) Quantitative, 24 Hour Urine

EPIC Test Procedure Code: LAB3265

Synonyms:
Serotonin
5-Hydroxytryptamine
Performing Lab:
Referral Laboratory
Patient Preparation:

Avoid bananas, avocados, plums, eggplant, tomatoes, plantain, pineapple, walnuts, and interfering drugs for a 72 hour period prior to and during collection. Foods and medications associated with altered urinary HIAA results:

Decreased HIAA:
Aspirin, chlorpromazine (Thorazine), corticotropin, dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, alcohol, gentisic acid, homogentisic acid, hydrazine derivatives, imipramine (Tofranil(r)), <isocarboxazid (Marplan), keto acids, levodopa, MAO inhibitors, methenamine methyldopa (Aldomet (r)), perchlorperazine, phenothiazines (Compazine(r)), promazine, promethazine (Mepergan(r)).

Increased HIAA:
Acetaminophen, acetanilide, caffeine, coumaric acid, diazepam (Valium(r)), ephedrine, fluorouracil glycerol guaiacolate (Guaifenesin), melphalan (Alkeran(r)), mephenesin, methamphetamine (Desoxyn), methocarbamol (Robaxin(r)), naproxen, nicotine, phenacetin, phenmetrazine, phenobarbital, phentolamine, rauwolfia, reserpine.

Container Type:
24 Hour plastic urine collection container (no preservative or 1 g/L Boric acid may be added as a preservative for other tests without harm to 5HIAA)
Specimen Type:

24 Hour urine collection.
Alternately, a pour-off sample from a 24 hour urine collection is acceptable but the client must measure the 24 hour urine volume and indicate the volume on the requisition.

Preferred Volume:
4 mL of 24 hour urine collection
Minimum Volume:
1 mL of 24 hour urine collection
Collection Procedure:

24-Hour Urine Collections:
1. To begin the collection, empty the bladder and discard this urine. Record this time and date as the start of the collection. 
2. 24-Hour urine collections should be started Sunday through Thursday. 
3. Collect all urine excreted during the next 24 hours in the urine collection container. 
4. Exactly 24 hours after the collection was begun, empty the bladder for the last time. Add this urine to the 24 hour urine container. The collection is finished.
5. The starting and ending times of collection are required.
6. The container should be refrigerated during and after the 24 hour collection period until it can be brought to Saint Luke’s Regional Laboratories.

Specimen Processing:

Enter the total volume in the Beaker prompt.

Store and Transport:
Room Temperature
Stability:

Frozen - 14 days
Refrigerated - 14 days
Room temperature - 7 days

Unacceptable Condition:

Urine specimens with a pH < 2 will be rejected.

CPT Codes:

83497 - 5-HIAA 24 HR Urine (EAP 30020579)
81050 - Urine Volume Measurement (EAP 30033360)

Method:
Liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS-MS)
Reference Ranges:

Please refer to the performing lab report for applicable reference ranges

Lab Personnel

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