Impacto da razão sangue/anticoagulante nos parâmetros hematológicos de amostras coletadas com citrato de sódio e EDTA

Abstract

Hematology, essential for clinical diagnosis, involves the analysis of different blood components. The analytical method in laboratories is divided into three stages: pre-analytical, analytical and post-analytical. The pre-analytical stage is the most susceptible to errors. These errors include inadequate collection, incorrect transportation or storage, impacting the quality of the results. The correct use of anticoagulants is crucial at this stage. Respecting the blood/anticoagulant ratio is essential, as deviations in this ratio can alter important parameters such as coagulation, blood count and others, resulting in inaccurate reports, rework and delays. In addition, variations at this stage can directly interfere with clinical interpretation. Therefore, strictly following technical guidelines, from collection to handling of samples, is essential to ensure reliable analyses and accurate diagnoses. Attention to the pre-analytical stage significantly reduces errors and optimizes the laboratory routine, promoting safe and high-quality results. In this context, this study investigated the influence of the blood/anticoagulant ratio on hematological parameters of samples collected with sodium citrate and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). EDTA, widely used for hematological tests, preserves cell morphology, but can cause pseudothrombocytopenia and changes in mean corpuscular volume (MCV). Sodium citrate, preferred for coagulation tests, dilutes the sample and can impact cell counts. In this work, samples from 5 healthy volunteers were analyzed, using different proportions of anticoagulants. Results showed that EDTA, in low or high concentrations, can lead to platelet aggregation and erythrocyte crenation, while sodium citrate presented less significant variations, but also influenced platelet aggregation at certain proportions. These findings highlight the importance of an adequate proportion between blood and anticoagulant to avoid distortions in laboratory results.