Reviews and Notes: Epidemiology: Effects of Preanalytical Variables on Clinical Laboratory Tests

Effects of Preanalytical Variables on Clinical Laboratory Tests

Donald S. Young. 500 pages. Washington, DC: American Association for Clinical Chemistry; 1993. $75.00 for members, $95.00 for nonmembers.

Many disease and physiologic states and interventions (drugs and other agents) may, as "preanalytical variables," influence values found in clinical laboratory tests. Young has prepared a comprehensive catalog of such effects. In the section of preanalytical variables, the entries include short notes on the analytes affected, the effect, and their magnitude. Each note is supported by a literature reference. In the section on tests, each entry has notes on the preanalytical variables affecting or not affecting the test. The text begins with indexes for tests and for the preanalytical variables. A valuable reference for interpretation of test results.