Sign in →

Test Code VITA Vitamin A, Serum

Useful For

Diagnosing vitamin A deficiency and toxicity

 

Monitoring vitamin A therapy

Method Name

Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)

Reporting Name

Vitamin A, S

Specimen Type

Serum


Specimen Required


Patient Preparation: Patient should fast overnight (12-14 hours); infants should have specimen collected before next feeding.

Collection Container/Tube:

Preferred: Red top

Acceptable: Serum gel

Submission Container/Tube: Plastic vial

Specimen Volume: 0.5 mL

Collection Instructions: Centrifuge and aliquot serum into a plastic vial. Serum must be removed from the red blood cells within 2 hours.


Specimen Minimum Volume

0.25 mL

Specimen Stability Information

Specimen Type Temperature Time Special Container
Serum Refrigerated (preferred) 28 days
  Ambient  28 days
  Frozen  28 days

Reference Values

0-6 years: 11.3-64.7 mcg/dL

7-12 years: 12.8-81.2 mcg/dL

13-17 years: 14.4-97.7 mcg/dL

≥18 years: 32.5-78.0 mcg/dL

Interpretation

The World Health Organization recommendations supplementation when vitamin A levels fall below 20.0 mcg/dL.

 

Severe deficiency is indicated at levels less than 10.0 mcg/dL.

 

Vitamin A values above 120.0 mcg/dL suggest hypervitaminosis A and associated toxicity.

Clinical Reference

1. Ball GFM. Vitamins: Their role in the human body. Blackwell Publishing; 2004:133-187

2. Ross AC. Vitamin A and carotenoids. In: Shils ME, Shike M, Ross AC, et al, eds. Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease. 10th ed. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins; 2006:351-375

3. Roberts NB, Taylor A, Sodi R. Vitamins and Trace Elements. In: Rifai N, Horvath AR, Wittwer CT, eds.Tietz Textbook of Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics. 6th ed. Elsevier; 2018:chap 37

4. Sodi R. Vitamins and trace elements. In: Rifai N, Chiu RWK, Young I, Burnham C-AD, Wittwer CT, eds. Tietz Textbook of Laboratory Medicine. 7th ed. Elsevier; 2023:417-417.e104

Day(s) Performed

Sunday through Friday

Report Available

2 to 5 days

Performing Laboratory

Mayo Clinic Laboratories in Rochester

Test Classification

This test was developed and its performance characteristics determined by Mayo Clinic in a manner consistent with CLIA requirements. It has not been cleared or approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.

CPT Code Information

84590

LOINC Code Information

Test ID Test Order Name Order LOINC Value
VITA Vitamin A, S 2923-1

 

Result ID Test Result Name Result LOINC Value
7597 Vitamin A 2923-1

Forms

If not ordering electronically, complete, print, and send a General Request (T239) with the specimen.