Test Catalog

Test Id : PK1

Pyruvate Kinase Enzyme Activity, Blood

Useful For
Suggests clinical disorders or settings where the test may be helpful

Evaluation of nonspherocytic hemolytic anemia

 

Evaluation of neonatal anemia or jaundice

 

Evaluation of unexplained noninfectious hepatic failure

 

Evaluation of unexplained iron overload

 

Evaluation of unusually severe hemoglobin S trait

 

Evaluation of unusually severe glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency

 

Investigating families with pyruvate kinase deficiency to determine inheritance pattern and for genetic counseling

Method Name
A short description of the method used to perform the test

Kinetic Spectrophotometry (KS)

NY State Available
Indicates the status of NY State approval and if the test is orderable for NY State clients.

Yes

Reporting Name
Lists a shorter or abbreviated version of the Published Name for a test

PK Enzyme Activity, B

Aliases
Lists additional common names for a test, as an aid in searching

Chronic nonspherocytic hemolytic anemia

CNSHA

PK (Pyruvate Kinase)

Pyruvate Kinase (RBC)

Specimen Type
Describes the specimen type validated for testing

Whole Blood ACD-B

Specimen Required
Defines the optimal specimen required to perform the test and the preferred volume to complete testing

Collection Container/Tube:

Preferred: Yellow top (ACD solution B)

Acceptable: Lavender top (EDTA)

Specimen Volume: 6 mL

Collection Instructions:  Send whole blood specimen in original tube. Do not aliquot.

Forms

Specimen Minimum Volume
Defines the amount of sample necessary to provide a clinically relevant result as determined by the Testing Laboratory

1 mL

Reject Due To
Identifies specimen types and conditions that may cause the specimen to be rejected

Gross hemolysis Reject

Specimen Stability Information
Provides a description of the temperatures required to transport a specimen to the performing laboratory, alternate acceptable temperatures are also included

Specimen Type Temperature Time Special Container
Whole Blood ACD-B Refrigerated 20 days

Useful For
Suggests clinical disorders or settings where the test may be helpful

Evaluation of nonspherocytic hemolytic anemia

 

Evaluation of neonatal anemia or jaundice

 

Evaluation of unexplained noninfectious hepatic failure

 

Evaluation of unexplained iron overload

 

Evaluation of unusually severe hemoglobin S trait

 

Evaluation of unusually severe glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency

 

Investigating families with pyruvate kinase deficiency to determine inheritance pattern and for genetic counseling

Clinical Information
Discusses physiology, pathophysiology, and general clinical aspects, as they relate to a laboratory test

Deficiencies of most of the enzymes of the Embden-Meyerhof (glycolytic) pathway, including pyruvate kinase (PK), have been reported. PK deficiency (OMIM 266200) is the erythrocyte enzyme deficiency most frequently found to be a cause of chronic nonspherocytic hemolytic anemia. It is an autosomal recessive disorder, and parents of affected patients are typically carriers. Some PK carrier states can exacerbate other red blood cell disorders (ie, coincident glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency or hemoglobin S trait).

 

Clinically significant PK deficiency manifests in widely variable severity ranging from incidental compensated mild normocytic anemia to severe anemia. Neonatal jaundice is very common, and a significant subset of neonates have perinatal complications. Other symptoms include early gallstones and splenomegaly. Iron overload, even in the absence of frequent transfusions, is very common. Rare severe PK deficiency is associated with hydrops fetalis/fetal demise or unexplained noninfectious hepatic failure. Acquired PK deficiency can arise secondary to myeloid neoplasms.

Reference Values
Describes reference intervals and additional information for interpretation of test results. May include intervals based on age and sex when appropriate. Intervals are Mayo-derived, unless otherwise designated. If an interpretive report is provided, the reference value field will state this.

> or =12 months of age: 5.5-12.4 U/g Hb

Reference values have not been established for patients who are younger than 12 months.

Interpretation
Provides information to assist in interpretation of the test results

Pyruvate kinase (PK) deficiency is the most easily masked of the red blood cell (RBC) enzyme disorders and can be difficult to classify without complete information, which may require comparison to other RBC enzyme activity levels or correlation with results of PKLR gene molecular testing (PKLRG / Pyruvate Kinase Liver and Red Blood Cell [PKLR] Full Gene Sequencing and Large Deletion Detection, Varies). Most hemolytic anemias due to PK deficiency are associated with activity levels less than 40% of mean normal. However, some patients with clinically significant hemolysis can have normal or only mildly decreased PK enzyme activity, which paradoxically may occur in individuals with the most severe symptoms. Isolated carriers (heterozygotes) may show mildly decreased activity and are typically hematologically normal, although the carrier state may exacerbate other RBC disorders such as glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, RBC membrane disorders, or hemoglobinopathies. Some alterations in other genes (ie, KLF1) can be associated with decreased PK levels.

 

Elevated PK concentrations can be found in those patients with younger erythrocyte population. This may be due to the patient being a newborn or young RBCs are being produced in response to the anemia (reticulocytosis). Rare PK deficient cases have been associated with minimally increased PK levels; however, comparison to other RBC enzyme activity would be critical in these cases for accurate interpretation.

Cautions
Discusses conditions that may cause diagnostic confusion, including improper specimen collection and handling, inappropriate test selection, and interfering substances

Pyruvate kinase (PK) activity level can vary from markedly decreased to normal levels in affected individuals due to a compensated increase in enzyme by reticulocytes. Comparison of PK activity levels to other red blood cell enzyme activity can be very useful.

 

Recent transfusion may mask the patient's intrinsic enzyme activity and cause unreliable results.

 

Because leukocytes also contain PK, if the white blood cell (WBC) count is very high, false-negative results may occur due to inability to adequately remove WBCs from the assay.

Clinical Reference
Recommendations for in-depth reading of a clinical nature

1. Grace RF, Bianchi P, van Beers EJ, et al. The clinical spectrum of pyruvate kinase deficiency: data from the Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency Natural History Study. Blood. 2018;131(20):2183-2192

2. Gallagher PG, Glader B: Diagnosis of pyruvate kinase deficiency. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2016;63(5):771-772

3. Grace RF, Zanella A, Neufeld EJ, et al: Erythrocyte pyruvate kinase deficiency: 2015 status report. Am J Hematol. 2015;90(9):825-830

4. Zanella A, Fermo E, Bianchi P, Chiarelli LR, Valentini G: Pyruvate kinase deficiency: the genotype-phenotype association. Blood Rev. 2007;21(4):217-231

Method Description
Describes how the test is performed and provides a method-specific reference

Pyruvate kinase catalyzes the phosphorylation of adenine diphosphate to adenine triphosphate by converting phosphoenolpyruvate to pyruvate. The amount of pyruvate formed is quantitated by adding lactate dehydrogenase and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and measuring the rate of decrease in absorbance spectrophotometrically at 340 nm as the NADH is oxidized to NAD(+) on an automated chemistry analyzer.(Beutler E: Red Cell Metabolism. In: A Manual of Biochemical Methods. 3rd ed. Grune and Stratton; 1984:68-71; van Solinge WW, van Wijk: Enzymes of the red blood cell. In: Rifai N, Horvath AR, Wittwer CT: eds. Tietz Textbook of Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics. 6th ed. Elsevier; 2018:chap 30)

PDF Report
Indicates whether the report includes an additional document with charts, images or other enriched information

No

Day(s) Performed
Outlines the days the test is performed. This field reflects the day that the sample must be in the testing laboratory to begin the testing process and includes any specimen preparation and processing time before the test is performed. Some tests are listed as continuously performed, which means that assays are performed multiple times during the day.

Monday through Friday

Report Available
The interval of time (receipt of sample at Mayo Clinic Laboratories to results available) taking into account standard setup days and weekends. The first day is the time that it typically takes for a result to be available. The last day is the time it might take, accounting for any necessary repeated testing.

1 to 4 days

Specimen Retention Time
Outlines the length of time after testing that a specimen is kept in the laboratory before it is discarded

7 days

Performing Laboratory Location
Indicates the location of the laboratory that performs the test

Rochester

Fees
Several factors determine the fee charged to perform a test. Contact your U.S. or International Regional Manager for information about establishing a fee schedule or to learn more about resources to optimize test selection.

  • Authorized users can sign in to Test Prices for detailed fee information.
  • Clients without access to Test Prices can contact Customer Service 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
  • Prospective clients should contact their account representative. For assistance, contact Customer Service.

Test Classification
Provides information regarding the medical device classification for laboratory test kits and reagents. Tests may be classified as cleared or approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and used per manufacturer instructions, or as products that do not undergo full FDA review and approval, and are then labeled as an Analyte Specific Reagent (ASR) product.

This test was developed and its performance characteristics determined by Mayo Clinic in a manner consistent with CLIA requirements. It has not been cleared or approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.

CPT Code Information
Provides guidance in determining the appropriate Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code(s) information for each test or profile. The listed CPT codes reflect Mayo Clinic Laboratories interpretation of CPT coding requirements. It is the responsibility of each laboratory to determine correct CPT codes to use for billing.

CPT codes are provided by the performing laboratory.

84220

LOINC® Information
Provides guidance in determining the Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC) values for the order and results codes of this test. LOINC values are provided by the performing laboratory.

Test Id Test Order Name Order LOINC Value
PK1 PK Enzyme Activity, B 32552-2
Result Id Test Result Name Result LOINC Value
Applies only to results expressed in units of measure originally reported by the performing laboratory. These values do not apply to results that are converted to other units of measure.
PKCL PK Enzyme Activity, B 32552-2

Test Setup Resources

Setup Files
Test setup information contains test file definition details to support order and result interfacing between Mayo Clinic Laboratories and your Laboratory Information System.

Excel | PHP Pdf | CMS Pdf

Sample Reports
Normal and Abnormal sample reports are provided as references for report appearance.

Normal Reports | Abnormal Reports

SI Sample Reports
International System (SI) of Unit reports are provided for a limited number of tests. These reports are intended for international account use and are only available through MayoLINK accounts that have been defined to receive them.

SI Normal Reports | SI Abnormal Reports