Benedetto Morelli1, Barbara Montaruli2, Daniela Cabodi3, Alice Appiani4, Federica Bertone5, Valter Conterio6, Marta Sofia Demicheli7, Emanuela Muccini8, Chiara Novelli9, Maria Rita Portalupi4, Paola Pradella10, Simone Prestigio11 per il Gruppo di Studio Emostasi
1Laboratorio Analisi Synlab Castenedolo, Brescia
2Laboratorio Analisi Chimico Cliniche e Microbiologiche, Azienda Ospedaliera Ordine Mauriziano, Torino
3Laboratorio Analisi, Ospedale San Giovanni Bosco, Azienda Sanitaria Locale Città di Torino
4Laboratorio di Biochimica Clinica, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Maggiore della Carità, Novara
5Laboratorio Analisi, Azienda Ospedaliera Santa Croce e Carle, Cuneo
6Laboratorio Analisi Chimico Cliniche e Microbiologiche, ASLCN2 Alba-Bra
7Laboratorio Studio Malattie Emorragiche e Trombotiche, AO SS. Antonio e Biagio, Alessandria
8Struttura Complessa Laboratorio Analisi, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza, PresidioOspedaliero Molinette, Torino
9Immunoematologia e Centro Trasfusionale ASST Ovest Milanese, Legnano, Milano
10Servizio di Medicina Trasfusionale, Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Integrata, Trieste
11Struttura Complessa Laboratorio Analisi, Ospedale di Ivrea – ASLTO4, Ivrea
Poor standardization of preanalytic variables influences greatly the reliability of coagulation testing, consuming health care resources and compromising patient outcomes. These variables include patient preparation, sample collection, handling, transportation, processing, and storage until time of analysis: lack of standardized procedures for sample collection accounts for most of the errors encountered within the total testing process. Most pre-analytical problems may arise from system faults and insufficient audit of the operators involved in specimen collection and handling, leading to unsuitable specimens due to misidentification, hemolysis, clotting, inappropriate volume, wrong container, contamination from the infusive route. Detection, acknowledgement and management of pre-analytical variables, is mandatory for delivering accurate laboratory results. The present document, issued by the Study Group on Haemostasis of the Italian Society of Laboratory Medicine, is a summary of the recommendations for standardisation of the pre-analytical phase of the coagulation testing, related to sample collection, transportation, and storage and provides guidance to reduce the effects of preanalytical issues that can have a significant impact on patient care.