Method providing time-independent consistency in mean corpuscular volume assays

摘要

A method for MCV assay comprising the process of: treating a blood sample with an anti-coagulant agent immediately post-drawing; diluting the blood sample treated with the anti-coagulant agent at up to at least 72 hours post blood-drawing with a reagent solution containing a predetermined surfactant at a predetermined osmotic concentration, thereby compelling a morphological change in the blood sample RBCs; and assaying the blood sample in a particle analyzer. The reagent includes a nonionic surfactant, a salt for adjusting osmotic pressure, and water, and has an osmotic pressure ( pi ) of approximately 150-400 mOsm/kg and a pH of 6.0-8.5. The surfactant is present in a 0.0005% to 0.5% concentration and has a hydrophile-lipophile balance (HLB) of 10-20.