Ordering Guidance

The recommended first-tier test for males with suspected Fabry disease is alpha-galactosidase A enzyme activity in blood or serum. Order either AGAW / Alpha-galactosidase, Leukocytes or AGAS / Alpha-galactosidase, Serum.

Shipping Instructions

Specimen Required

Patient Preparation: A previous bone marrow transplant from an allogenic donor will interfere with testing. For instructions for testing patients who have received a bone marrow transplant, call 800-533-1710.

Submit only 1 of the following specimens:

Preferred:

Specimen Type: Whole blood

Container/Tube:

Preferred: Lavender top (EDTA) tube or yellow top (ACD) tube

Specimen Volume: 3 mL

Collection Instructions:

1. Invert several times to mix blood.

2. Send whole blood specimen in original tube. Do not aliquot.

Specimen Stability Information: Ambient 4 days/Refrigerated 4 days/Frozen 4 days

Additional Information:

1. Specimens are preferred to be received within 4 days of collection. Extraction will be attempted for specimens received after 4 days, and DNA yield will be evaluated to determine if testing may proceed.

2. To ensure minimum volume and concentration of DNA is met, the preferred volume of blood must be submitted. Testing may be canceled if DNA requirements are inadequate

Acceptable:

Specimen Type: Blood spot

Supplies: Card - Blood Spot Collection (Filter Paper) (T493)

Container/Tube:

Preferred: Collection card (Whatman Protein Saver 903 Paper)

Acceptable: Ahlstrom 226 filter paper, or Blood Spot Collection Card

Specimen Volume: 2 to 5 Blood spots on collection card

Collection Instructions:

1. An alternative blood collection option for a patient older than 1 year of age is finger stick.

2. Let blood dry on the filter paper at ambient temperature in a horizontal position for 3 hours.

3. Do not expose specimen to heat or direct sunlight.

4. Do not stack wet specimens.

5. Keep specimen dry.

Specimen Stability Information: Ambient (preferred)/Refrigerated

Additional Information:

1. Due to lower concentrations of DNA yielded from blood spots, some aspects of the test may not perform as well as DNA extracted from a whole blood sample. When applicable, specific gene regions that were unable to be interrogated will be noted in the report. Alternatively, additional specimen may be needed to complete testing.

2. For collection instructions, see Blood Spot Collection Instructions

3. For collection instructions in Spanish, see Blood Spot Collection Card-Spanish Instructions (T777)

4. For collection instructions in Chinese, see Blood Spot Collection Card-Chinese Instructions (T800)