SELECTION OF ANTICOAGULANTS FOR LYMPHOCYTE IMMUNOPHENOTYPING - EFFECTOF SPECIMEN AGE ON RESULTS

In a multi-center study, whole blood specimens from 31 HIV-positive an d 43 HIV-negative donors were collected in three different anticoagula nts and assayed for lymphocyte subsets fresh (within 6 h), and 1 and 2 days later. Each center prepared the specimens by their routine whole blood lysis procedure, labeling with a recommended panel of two-color monoclonal antibody combinations. 1 day (up to about 30 h) after bloo d collection, the results obtained from blood collected in EDTA (ethyl enediamine tetra-acetate), ACD (acid citrate dextrose), and heparin we re similar to fresh. Up to 48 h, only ACD and heparin, not EDTA, yield ed results similar to fresh specimens. These results were similar for both HIV-positive and -negative specimens.