Samples collected for CD4 analyses begin to lose their integrity in just a few hours when collected in conventional tubes. Available from Alpha Laboratories, Cyto-Chex BCT is a direct- draw vacuum blood collection tube containing a patented preservative that has been developed to address such a problem.
Improved temperature stability of CD4-positive cells
Product claims were verified in a report in the Journal of Immunological Methods (2005; 305: 107–19). The preservative not only stabilises patient samples but improves the accuracy of CD4 test results for HIV-infected patients, and helps to reduce costs associated with repeat collection of samples or patient tests.