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Calcium - Urine

Source Urine
Mnemonic 24 hour:                           UCAD and U24H
Random:                           UCA
Calcium/Creatinine Ratio:  UCACR
Specimen Requirements Refrigerate during collection.
Submit 5 mL aliquot of 24 hour urine collection preserved with Sulfamic acid.
Specimen may be acidified during or following collection.  See Specimen Handling and Additional Information sections for acidification instructions.
If Sulfamic acid is not available, HCl is also an acceptable preservative. See HCl for Urine Preservation.

If test is ordered at the same time as Oxalate, collect with HCl instead of Sulfamic acid. See Oxalate.

Random:
Submit 5 mL aliquot of acidified random urine collection.
Specimen may be acidified during or following collection.  See Specimen Handling and Additional Information sections for acidification instructions.

Calcium/Creatinine Ratio:
5 mL aliquot of acidified 24 hour urine collection preferred; acidified random urine specimen acceptable.
Specimen Handling

Acidify specimen in original collection container.

 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
 when acidifying during or after collection

 Adult timed collections

 Use 7 g pouch if >700 mL or when acidifying
 during collection
 0.5 g pouch for every 100 mL collected when
 acidifying after collection up to 700 mL

 Adult random collections

 0.5 g pouch for every 100 mL collected
 (orange capped urine container = 100 mL)
 If less than 100 mL collected: send urine container
 to DSC Chemistry for acidification. DO NOT Aliquot.
 Clearly label - Not Acidified.

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 pre-acidification chart in
Additional Information section

Random collections on
newborn up to 4 yrs.

0.5 g pouch for every 100 mL collected.
If less than 100 mL collected: send urine container to
DSC Chemistry for acidification. DO NOT Aliquot.
Clearly label - Not Acidified.

Aliquoting:
If acidified during urine collection:
Mix well and pour off 5 mL of acidified urine to aliquot tube.

If acidified following urine collection:
Add appropriate size of Sulfamic acid pouch, SHAKE bottle vigorously and LET SIT 15 minutes.
Mix and pour off 5 mL of acidified urine to aliquot tube. 

RECORD 24 hour urine volume and collection (start and stop) dates and times in space provided on requisition.

Additional Information

For Pre-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
 Send original collection container to DSC Chemistry.
 Clearly label - Not Acidified.

 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
Testing Location Chemistry-DSC
Testing Frequency Daily
Alternate Name(s)
Reference Interval 2.5 - 7.5 mmol/day