The use of new generation small-volume blood collection tubes for complete blood count

INTRODUCTION: Newborns and especially patients with malignancy develop frequently iatrogenic anemia based on phlebotomy. The use of blood collection tubes with small-volume may reduce the need for blood transfusion and the associated risks due to frequent phlebotomy. Therefore, we evaluated the reliability and accuracy of the complete blood count (CBC) using new generation small-volume blood collection tubes (SV-BCT) instead of large-volume blood collection tubes (LV-BCT).
METHODS: Venous blood samples were taken from 40 adult in-patients and collected to SV-BCT/LV-BCT pairs of three different brand (Microtainer®MAP-0.5 ml/Vacutainer®-2.0 ml; Becton, Dickinson and Company, USA) ([Microvette®-0.5 mL/S-Monovette®-2.6 ml; Sarstedt Ag and Co. KG, Germany]) ([MiniCollect®Complete-0.5 ml/Vacuette®-2.0 ml; Greiner Bio-One GmbH, Austria]). All tubes contained K2EDTA except Microvette®. Sixteen parameters of CBC were analyzed using a DxH 800 (Beckman Coulter Inc., USA). CBC results in tube pairs were compared in terms of statistical and clinical (bias%) significance.
RESULTS: There were statistically significant differences between the results of SV-BCT and LV-BCT pairs of the same brands for some parameters. However, bias% between tubes for 16 parameters was within the desirable limits, the differences were not clinically significant.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Health personnel and phlebotomists can safely prefer SV-BCT which is a new generation and technically useful for CBC, especially in patients requiring frequent phlebotomy. Thus, the volume of blood sampling may be reduced to prevent iatrogenic blood loss.