5-HYDROXYINDOLE ACETIC ACID, URINE – 24 HOUR

Patients should not eat avocados, bananas, butternut, cantaloupe, dates, eggplant, grapefruit, hickory nuts, honeydew, kiwi fruit, melons, nuts, pecans, pineapple, plums, tomatoes, or walnuts for a 48 hour period prior to start and duration of collection. Could result in falsely elevated 5-HIAA excretion. Medications affecting metabolism of serotonin must be avoided at least 72 hours before and during collection. Patients should also avoid coffee, tea, and tobacco. Patient should consult their physician before discontinuing any medications.
Discard first morning urine and collect all urine for 24 hours. Preferred method of collection for 24 hour collection: collect urine with 25 mL of 6N HCl at start of collection to maintain pH between 2 and 3. Refrigerate urine during collection (critical). Mix the collection well before removing aliquot. Record total volume on test request and on container label.

24 hour urine

Send 25.0 mL acidified urine refrigerated in a screw-capped plastic urine container. Record total volume on test requisition and specimen label.

Alternate method of 24 hour collection with preservative: Refrigerate urine during collection (critical) and add 25.0 mL 6N HCl to the entire collection within 4 hours of collection completion. Mix collection well, and check pH to ensure pH is between 1 and 3. Send a 25.0 mL urine aliquot refrigerated in a screw-capped plastic urine container. Record total volume on container label.

Alternate method of 24 hour collection without preservative: Collect 24 hours urine and keep refrigerated throughout collection. Mix well and send 25.0 mL urine refrigerated in a screw-capped plastic urine container. Record total volume on container label.

10.0 mL

Refrigerated

With preservative:
Room temperature: 10 days
Refrigerated: 14 days
Frozen: 1 year

Without preservative:
Room temperature: Unacceptable
Refrigerated: 7 days
Frozen: 14 days