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Test Code ZN_S Zinc, Serum


Specimen Required


Patient Preparation: High concentrations of gadolinium, iodine, and barium are known to interfere with most metal tests. If gadolinium-, iodine, or barium-containing contrast media has been administered, the specimen should not be collected for 96 hours.

Supplies:

-Metal Free Specimen Vial (T173)

-Metal Free B-D Tube (No Additive), 6 mL (T184)

Collection Container/Tube: 6-mL Plain, royal blue-top Vacutainer plastic trace element blood collection tube

Submission Container/Tube: 7-mL Mayo metal-free, screw-capped, polypropylene vial

Specimen Volume: 0.8 mL

Collection Instructions:

1. This specimen must always be drawn first.

2. Do not collect specimen from a line.

3. Allow the specimen to clot for 30 minutes; then centrifuge the specimen to separate serum from the cellular fraction. Serum must be removed from cellular fraction within 4 hours of specimen collection. Avoid hemolysis.

4. Remove the stopper. Carefully pour specimen into a Mayo metal-free, polypropylene vial, avoiding transfer of the cellular components of blood. Do not insert a pipet into the serum to accomplish transfer, and do not ream the specimen with a wooden stick to assist with serum transfer.

5. See Metals Analysis Specimen Collection and Transport for complete instructions.


Useful For

Detecting zinc deficiency

Method Name

Dynamic Reaction Cell-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (DRC-ICP-MS)

Reporting Name

Zinc, S

Specimen Type

Serum

Specimen Minimum Volume

0.2 mL

Specimen Stability Information

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

Reference Values

0-10 years: 60-120 mcg/dL

11-17 years: 66-110 mcg/dL

≥18 years: 60-106 mcg/dL

Interpretation

Normal serum zinc levels are from 66 to 106 mcg/dL in adults.

 

Burn patients with acrodermatitis may have zinc levels as low as 40 mcg/dL; these patients respond quickly to zinc supplementation.

 

An elevated serum zinc concentration is of minimal clinical interest.

Clinical Reference

1. Tucker SB, Schroeter AL, Brown PW Jr, McCall JT. Acquired zinc deficiency. Cutaneous manifestations typical of acrodermatitis enteropathica. JAMA. 1976;235(22):2399-2402

2. Skelton JA, Havens PL, Werlin SL. Nutrient deficiencies in tube-fed children. Clin Pediatr. 2006;45(1):37-41

3. Zorbas YG, Kakuris KK, Neofitov IA, Afoninos NI. Zinc utilization in zinc-supplemented and -unsupplemented healthy subjects during and after prolonged hypokinesis. Tr Elem Electro. 2008;25:60-68

4. Ayling RM, Crook M. Nutrition: Laboratory and clinical aspects. In: Rifai N, Chiu RWK, Young I, Burnham CAD, Wittwer CT, eds. Tietz Textbook of Laboratory Medicine. 7th ed. Elsevier; 2023:457-501

Day(s) Performed

Monday through Saturday

Report Available

1 to 3 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

84630

LOINC Code Information

Test ID Test Order Name Order LOINC Value
ZN_S Zinc, S 5763-8

 

Result ID Test Result Name Result LOINC Value
7735 Zinc, S 5763-8

Forms

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