Ordering Recommendation

Use to optimize dosing and monitor patient adherence. Useful for ruling out barbiturate exposure. For follow-up testing of a presumptive result, the preferred test is Barbiturates, Urine, Quantitative (2012213).

New York DOH Approval Status

This test is New York state approved.

Specimen Required

Patient Preparation
Collect

Gray (sodium fluoride/potassium oxalate). Also acceptable: Plain red, green (sodium heparin), lavender (EDTA), or pink (K2EDTA).

Specimen Preparation

Separate serum or plasma from cells ASAP or within 2 hours of collection. Transfer 3.5 mL serum or plasma to an ARUP standard transport tube. (Min: 1.5 mL)

Storage/Transport Temperature

Refrigerated.

Unacceptable Conditions

Separator tubes. Plasma or whole blood collected in light blue (sodium citrate). Specimens exposed to repeated freeze/thaw cycles. Hemolyzed specimens.

Remarks
Stability

After separation from cells: Ambient: 1 week; Refrigerated: 2 weeks; Frozen: 3 years

Methodology

Quantitative Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry/Quantitative Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Performed

Tue, Thu, Sat

Reported

1-7 days

Reference Interval

Drugs Covered
Cutoff Concentrations
Butalbital 50 ng/mL
Pentobarbital 50 ng/mL
Phenobarbital 50 ng/mL

Interpretive Data

Methodology: Quantitative Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry/Quantitative Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

Positive cutoff:
50 ng/mL

For medical purposes only; not valid for forensic use.

The absence of expected drug(s) and/or drug metabolite(s) may indicate noncompliance, inappropriate timing of specimen collection relative to drug administration, poor drug absorption, or limitations of testing. The concentration value must be greater than or equal to the cutoff to be reported as positive. Interpretive questions should be directed to the laboratory.

Compliance Category

Laboratory Developed Test (LDT)

Note

Hotline History

N/A

CPT Codes

80345 (Alt code: G0480)

Components

Component Test Code* Component Chart Name LOINC
2012202 Phenobarbital, S/P, Quant 3948-7
2012203 Butalbital, S/P, Quant 6895-7
2012204 Pentobarbital, S/P, Quant 3924-8
* Component test codes cannot be used to order tests. The information provided here is not sufficient for interface builds; for a complete test mix, please click the sidebar link to access the Interface Map.

Aliases

  • Amobarbitone
  • Amytal
  • Axocet
  • Butalbital
  • Fioricet
  • Fiorinal
  • Luminal
  • Nembutal
  • Pain Management
  • Pentobarbital
  • Phenobarbital
  • Phenobarbitone
  • Quinalbartbitone
  • Sandoptal
  • Seconal
  • Solfoton
  • Tuinal
Barbiturates, Serum or Plasma, Quantitative