Many non-routine tests and applications which require the collection of blood or other body fluids, also require the use of special anti-coagulant or proteinase inhibitor cocktails to preserve the integrity of the sample. Good examples of such tests include the measurements of Fibrinopeptide-A (FPA), Prothrombin Fragment 1•2 (F1•2), Fibrinogen Degradation Products (FDP) and the Thrombin/Antithrombin III complex (TAT), all of which are highly influenced by persistent protease activity in blood or plasma samples.
The SCAT series of collection tubes (Sample Collection/Anticoagulant Tubes) were developed specifically to minimize in vitro artifact by rapidly quenching unwanted protease activity. SCAT tubes are carefully formulated to yield a reproducible concentration of inhibitors with rapid dissolution properties (by ray at tf). The tubes are evacuated and stoppered under controlled conditions so that the tubes will automatically fill to the proper volume. Although the SCAT tubes may resemble a standard phlebotomy blood collection tube, it should be noted that these tubes are NOT STERILE, and therefore should not be used as a standard blood collection tube. Instead, it is recommended that the technique used to collect the sample (whether it be blood or another fluid sample), be direct collection into the SCAT tube through a catheter of at least five inches, and equipped with a multi-sample luer adapter (MSLA) to eliminate the possibility of a back-flush from the non-sterile tube to the patient.
