Specimen Requirements

Title

Insulin, Serum

Specimen Requirement

1-SST/1 mL serum. After 30 minutes of clotting, promptly centrifuge and refrigerate.

ALTERNATE SPECIMEN: PLASMA–HEPARIN (SODIUM OR LITHIUM)

Methodology

Stability

Refrigerated 7 days

Reference Range

By Report*

Turnaround

5 days

Clinical Use

Evaluate insulin producing neoplasm (islet cell tumor, insulinoma) or pancreatic islet cell hyperplasia; work-up for hypoglycemia to evaluate insulin production in diabetes mellitus. Insulin-secreting tumors usually present with hypoglycemic symptoms and are diagnosed by a 72-hour prolonged fast. After 72 hours of fasting an insulin concentration greater than 6 mU/L indicates an insulinoma. Factitious hypoglycemia from exogenous insulin shows increased insulin, but not proinsulin or C-peptide.

Test Code

INSS