5-HIAA

Extra-regional sites: see 5-HIAA, Extra-regional

20 mL aliquot of acidified 24 hour urine collection

Newborn to Adult:
Refer to charts in Specimen Handling and Additional Information sections.

REFRIGERATE during collection.
Urine specimen collection container must have preservative
pouch(es) added prior to collection.

Acidify specimen in original collection container.

RECORD 24 hour volume and collection (start and end) dates and time
in the space provided on the requisition.

Mix well and pour off acidified aliquot. 
Sample pH should be less than 3.0.

ADULT Collection Type	Weight of Sulfamic acid in Pouch for ADULT Collections
24 hr. collections on patients > 4yrs.	7 g pouch in each 4 liter container collection
Adult timed collections	7 g pouch in each 4 liter container collection
Adult random collections	0.5 g pouch for every 100 mL collected  (orange capped urine container = 100 mL)

Collection Type for      NEWBORN up to 4 YRS	Weight of Sulfamic acid Pouch for      NEWBORN up to 4 YRS
24 hr. collections on newborn up to 4 yrs.	Use acidification chart in Additional Information section
Random collections on newborn up to 4 yrs.	Refer patient to ACH

Certain foods and medications may interfere. Patient handout available with collection instructions.  See form #CH3008. 

The following drugs cause physiological interference with the levels of urine 5-HIAA:
Physiological decreases: chlorophenylalanine, corticotropin, guanfacine, imipramine, isocarboxazid, isoniazid, levodopa, MAO inhibitors, methyDOPA, moclobemide, octreotide.
Physiological increases: cisplatin, fluorouracil, melphalan, reserpine, rauwolfia.

For Acidification of Pediatric 24 hour Urines:

Age	Number of 0.5 g pouches of Sulfamic acid  to add when Acidifying During Collection
Up to 1 month	Not suitable for 0.5 g pouch. Refer patient to ACH
1 up to 2 months	2
2 up to 4 months	3
4 up to 12 months	4
12 months up to 4 yrs	5