Caffeine, Serum or Plasma

TEST: 071258
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CPT: 80155
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Synonyms

  • Cafcit®
  • Energets
  • No Doz® Maximum Strength
  • Vivarin®

Expected Turnaround Time

2 - 3 days

Turnaround time is defined as the usual number of days from the date of pickup of a specimen for testing to when the result is released to the ordering provider. In some cases, additional time should be allowed for additional confirmatory or additional reflex tests. Testing schedules may vary.

Related Documents

Specimen Requirements

Specimen

Serum or plasma

Volume

1 mL

Minimum Volume

0.3 mL (Note: This volume does not allow for repeat testing.)

Container

Red-top tube, lavender-top (EDTA) tube, or green-top (heparin) tube. Do not use a gel-barrier tube. The use of gel-barrier tubes is not recommended due to slow absorption of the drug by the gel. Depending on the specimen volume and storage time, the decrease in drug level due to absorption may be clinically significant.

Collection

Transfer separated serum or plasma to a plastic transport tube.

Storage Instructions

Room temperature

Stability Requirements

Temperature

Period

Room temperature

14 days

Refrigerated

14 days

Frozen

14 days

Freeze/thaw cycles

Stable x3

Causes for Rejection

Gel-barrier tube

Test Details

Use

Monitor caffeine concentration in newborns receiving theophylline or caffeine.

Half-life elimination: Neonates 72 to 96 hours, Children >9 months and Adults: 5 hours

Time to peak serum, oral: Within 30 minutes to 2 hours

Limitations

This test was developed and its performance characteristics determined by LabCorp. It has not been cleared or approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

Methodology

Liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS-MS)

Reference Interval

• Therapeutic: 3.0−15.0 μg/mL

• Neonatal apnea: 8−14 μg/mL

• Infant (<1 year): 8−20 μg/mL

Critical Value

Potentially toxic: >50.0 μg/mL

Additional Information

Theophylline is used to treat neonatal apnea. Unlike its metabolism in adults, theophylline in neonates is extensively metabolized to caffeine. Plasma elimination half-life in adults is three to six hours. In neonates, caffeine has a half-life of 30 hours. Caffeine overdoses are rare. The clinical presentation is similar to that of theophylline.

References

Drug Information Handbook. 24th ed. Hudson, OH: Wolters Kluwer Clinical Drug Information, Inc; 2015; 319-321.

LOINC® Map

Order Code Order Code Name Order Loinc Result Code Result Code Name UofM Result LOINC
071258 Caffeine, Serum 3422-3 071262 Caffeine, Serum ug/mL 3422-3

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