Abstract

Effect of different anti-coagulants on the accuracy of glycated haemoglobin results

Author(s): Frederick I Allison, gochukwu Duru

Most manufacturers of glycated haemoglobin kits advocate for the use of EDTA bottles for sample
collection. Other manufacturers even when using the same glycated haemoglobin assay method, advocate
for the use of any of these anticoagulant: EDTA, heparin and fluoride oxalate as any of these anticoagulants
for sample collection. This study was therefore designed to evaluate the effect of different anticoagulants
on the accuracy of glycated haemoglobin value using the same method. Thirty subjects were selected
by purposive sampling method and 2ml of blood was collected from each subject into sodium heparin,
EDTA and fluoride oxalate bottles and stored for three days at 40C. Fifteen subjects’ samples were
analysed daily for the next two days then all the samples were analysed on the third day. All samples
were analysed using the boronate affinity chromatographic method by Clover. The mean of the values
of glycated haemoglobin of samples for each anticoagulants were about the same for the first, second
and third day. The differences in the mean values for each anticoagulant were not statistically significant,
indicating fairly good stability. From this study, it could be concluded that blood sample in EDTA, fluoride
oxalate and heparin bottles can be used for glycated haemoglobin estimation without affecting the
accuracy of the result. These samples in these containers were found to be stable for at least three days.