Optimal AC concentration for EDTA?

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Optimal AC concentration for EDTA?

The essential idea is that the amount of EDTA must anticoagulate the blood without distorting cell morphology or the results. EDTA works by chelating calcium to prevent clotting, and about 1.5 mg of EDTA per mL of blood is the standard amount used in CBC tubes. This concentration effectively stops coagulation while preserving red and white cell morphology and platelet counts, giving accurate hematology results. Using less EDTA can allow clotting or platelet clumping, skewing counts; using more than this can introduce artifacts from excessive chelation, altering indices and differential results. Hence, 1.5 mg/mL is the optimal balance for EDTA.

The essential idea is that the amount of EDTA must anticoagulate the blood without distorting cell morphology or the results. EDTA works by chelating calcium to prevent clotting, and about 1.5 mg of EDTA per mL of blood is the standard amount used in CBC tubes. This concentration effectively stops coagulation while preserving red and white cell morphology and platelet counts, giving accurate hematology results. Using less EDTA can allow clotting or platelet clumping, skewing counts; using more than this can introduce artifacts from excessive chelation, altering indices and differential results. Hence, 1.5 mg/mL is the optimal balance for EDTA.

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