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. 2021 Sep 6;151(11):3524–3532. doi: 10.1093/jn/nxab267

TABLE 3.

Geometric mean concentration (95% CI) by treatment (processed within 2 hours or 24 hours) and sample type (EDTA, LH, or serum)1, 2

2-hour processing 24-hour processing
Sample type Sample type
Analyte EDTA LH Serum EDTA LH Serum
Clinical markers
 C-reactive protein, mg/L 1.75 (1.14–2.70)a 1.45 (0.94–2.24)b 2.00 (1.30–3.07)a 1.81 (1.17–2.78)a 1.46 (0.95–2.24)b 1.93 (1.26–2.97)a
 Ferritin, μg/L 47 (30–72)a 49 (32–76)b 49 (32–76)b 48 (31–74)a 49 (32–76)b 49 (32–76)b
 Creatinine, μmol/L 72.8 (68.0–78.0)a 75.8 (70.8–81.1)b 75.7 (70.8–81.0)b 73.8 (69.0–79.0)a 75.8 (70.8–81.1)b 76.2 (71.2–81.5)b
 Triglycerides, mmol/L 1.21 (0.88–1.65) 1.16 (0.85–1.58) 1.18 (0.86–1.61) 1.19 (0.87–1.62) 1.18 (0.87–1.62) 1.18 (0.86–1.61)
 HDL cholesterol, mmol/L 1.30 (1.31–1.59)a 1.38 (1.13–1.68)b 1.38 (1.13–1.68)b 1.30 (1.06–1.58) a 1.35 (1.10–1.64)2,b 1.36 (1.12–1.67) b
 Total cholesterol, mmol/L 4.72 (4.28–5.20)a 4.86 (4.41–5.35)b 4.92 (4.46–5.42)b 4.71 (4.28–5.19)a 4.83 (4.38–5.32)b 4.94 (4.48–5.44)c
Fat-soluble vitamins
 25-hydroxyvitamin D, nmol/L 32 (25–41)a 34 (26–43)a,b 35 (27–44)b 33 (25–42) 33 (26–42) 33 (26–43)
 Retinol, μmol/L 1.43 (1.30–1.58)a 1.57 (1.42–1.73)b 1.53 (1.38–1.69)a,b 1.43 (1.29–1.58)a 1.57 (1.42–1.73)b 1.57 (1.42–1.73)b
 α-tocopherol, μmol/L 24.1 (21.5–27.1)a 26.0 (23.2–29.2)b 25.6 (22.8–28.8)b 24.4 (21.7–27.4)a 25.7 (22.9–28.9)b 25.8 (23.0–29.0)b
 γ-tocopherol, μmol/L 1.30 (1.16–1.47)a 1.40 (1.24–1.57)b 1.38 (1.23–1.55)b 1.33 (1.18–1.49)a 1.39 (1.24–1.57)a,b 1.41 (1.25–1.58)b
 Lutein, μmol/L 0.33 (0.27–0.40)a 0.37 (0.30–0.44)b 0.36 (0.29–0.43)b 0.33 (0.28–0.40)a 0.36 (0.30–0.44)b 0.36 (0.30–0.44)b
 β-cryptoxanthin, μmol/L 0.19 (0.14–0.26)a 0.21 (0.16–0.28)b 0.20 (0.15–0.27)b 0.19 (0.4–0.26) 0.20 (0.15–0.27) 0.20 (0.15–0.27)
 Lycopene, μmol/L 0.87 (0.72–1.05)a 0.95 (0.78–1.14)b 0.92 (0.76–1.11)a,b 0.89 (0.74–1.08) 0.92 (0.76–1.10) 0.91 (0.75–1.09)
 α-carotene, μmol/L 0.15 (0.12–0.19)a 0.17 (0.13–0.21)b 0.17 (0.13–0.21)b 0.15 (0.12–0.19) 0.16 (0.13–0.20) 0.16 (0.13–0.20)
 β -carotene, μmol/L 0.59 (0.40–0.86)a 0.64 (0.44–0.94)b 0.62 (0.43–0.91)b 0.61 (0.42–0.89) 0.62 (0.43–0.91) 0.61 (0.42–0.89)
Minerals
 Selenium, μg/L 77 (72–82)a 80 (75–85)b 79 (74–84)b 76 (72–81)a 80 (75–85)b 79 (74–84)b
 Zinc, μg/L 812 (778–847) 800 (767–834) 802 (769–837) 817 (783–853)a 844 (810–881)2,b 812 (779–847)a
Water-soluble vitamins
 ETKAC (thiamin) [ratio] 1.11 (1.08–1.15) 1.10 (1.07–1.13) n/m 1.10 (1.07–1.14) 1.10 (1.07–1.13) n/m
 EGRAC (riboflavin) [ratio] 1.35 (1.26–1.45) 1.35 (1.26–1.45) n/m 1.35 (1.26–1.45) 1.34 (1.25–1.43) n/m
 PLP (vitamin B-6), nmol/L 51.9 (39.7–67.7) 49.6 (38.0–64.8) 52.1 (39.9–68.0) 54.0 (41.4–70.5)a 45.9 (32.5–59.9)2,b 44.9 (34.4–58.6)2,b
 PA (vitamin B-6), nmol/L 20.1 (15.9–25.3)a 20.9 (16.6–26.3)a,b 21.5 (17.1–27.2)b 20.2 (16.1–25.5) 21.4 (17.0–27.0) 20.5 (16.3–25.9)
 Total folate, nmol/L 16.2 (12.3–21.4)a 17.0 (12.9–22.5)b 17.0 (12.9–22.4)b 15.9 (12.1–20.9)a 16.7 (12.6–21.9)b 17.2 (13.0–22.6)c
 Vitamin B-12, ng/L 401 (336–479)a 393 (330–469)a 380 (319–453)b 388 (326–463)2,a 394 (330–470)a 373 (313–445)b
  Holotranscobalamin, pmol/L 68 (55–84)a 63 (51–78)b 77 (62–95)c 74 (60–91)2,a 66 (53–82)b 74 (60–91)a
 Vitamin C, μmol/L 55 (45–67) 58 (48–71) 57 (47–70) 31 (26–38)2,a 59 (49–72)b 58 (47–70)b
1

The 24-hour processed samples were mailed, cooled overnight after collection, and processed on arrival at the laboratory. All analytes were measured in plasma or serum except for ETKAC and EGRAC (measured in saline-washed red blood cells). Geometric means with uncommon letters are significantly different (P < 0.05) from other sample types within treatment (2-hour or 24-hour processing). Abbreviations: EGRAC, erythrocyte glutathione reductase activation coefficient; ETKAC; erythrocyte transketolase activation coefficient; LH, lithium heparin plasma; n/m, not measured, sample type not suitable for analysis; PA, 4-pyridoxic acid; PLP, pyridoxal-5-phosphate

2

Significantly different from 2-hour processed sample.