Method for stabilizing osteocalcin in human serum or plasma samples for the determination of the osteocalcin content therein, and instruments and sample vessels for carrying out said method

摘要

Progressive degradation of the osteocalcin present in the blood, serum or plasma samples obtained from a patient is observed in such samples and leads to falsification of the osteocalcin values obtained in a subsequent determination. It has been found that this osteocalcin degradation can be prevented by adding an amount of divalent metal ions, in particularly calcium ions, sufficient to prevent osteocalcin degradation to the sample immediately after it has been obtained or while it is being obtained.