Hydroxocobalamin (OHCob), a form of vitamin B12 and marketed as Cyanokit, is commonly used as an antidote for cyanide poisoning in patients with smoke inhalation injuries. OHCob imparts a red hue to plasma and urine and can take over a week to be cleared from circulation. Work from our laboratory has shown that OHCob interferes with many tests and is analyzer-dependent. This presentation will highlight interference studies and demonstrate strategies used to mitigate, identify, and report these samples. Interdisciplinary collaboration between the laboratory, clinicians, and pharmacists is crucial to develop laboratory protocols on OHCob interferences.
About the presenter
Dr. Josh Raizman, PhD, FCACB is a clinical biochemist with Alberta Precision Laboratories and Associate Clinical Professor in the department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at the University of Alberta. He supports chemistry testing at the Misericordia, Grey Nuns, Royal Alex, and Sturgeon Hospital labs. One of his interests is involving undergraduate students in hands on laboratory projects, then applying this work to solve laboratory problems. This is exemplified in the work being presented today.
