Preferred Specimen(s) 5 mL EDTA (lavender-top) whole blood or ACD-A or ACD-B (yellow-top) tube
Instructions If submitted with a CBC, HBA1c or any other test requiring a lavender-top tube, please submit a separate tube for this test
Transport Container EDTA (lavender-top) tube or ACD-A or ACD-B (yellowtop) tube
Transport Temperature Room temperature
Reject Criteria
- Gross hemolysis
- Serum separator tube (SST®)
- Received frozen
- Red-top tube
Methodology Immune Agglutination
Clinical Significance The DAT (Direct Coomb’s test) is positive if red cells have been coated, in vivo, with immunoglobulin, complement, or both. A positive result can occur in immune mediated red cell destruction, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, a transfusion reaction or in patients receiving certain drugs.