Test Catalog

Test Id : OSMOF

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Osmolality, Feces

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Overview

Test Catalog

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

Measurement of osmolality for the workup of cases of chronic diarrhea

 

Diagnosis of factitious diarrhea (where patient adds fluid to stool to simulate diarrhea)

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

Freezing Point Depression

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

Osmolality, F

Specimen Type
Describes the specimen type validated for testing

Fecal

Ordering Guidance

This test is only clinically valid if performed on watery specimens. In the event a formed fecal specimen is submitted, the test will not be performed.

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

Patient Preparation: No barium, laxatives, or enemas may be used for 96 hours prior to start of, or during, collection.

Supplies: Stool containers - 24, 48, 72 Hour Kit (T291)

Container/Tube: Stool container

Specimen Volume: 10 g

Collection Instructions: Collect a very liquid stool specimen.

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

5 g

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

All specimens will be evaluated at Mayo Clinic Laboratories for test suitability.

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
Fecal Frozen (preferred) 14 days
Refrigerated 7 days
Ambient 48 hours

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

Measurement of osmolality for the workup of cases of chronic diarrhea

 

Diagnosis of factitious diarrhea (where patient adds fluid to stool to simulate diarrhea)

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

The concentration of electrolytes in fecal water and their rate of excretion are dependent upon 3 factors:

-Normal daily dietary intake of electrolytes

-Passive transport from serum and other vascular spaces to equilibrate fecal osmotic pressure with vascular osmotic pressure

-Electrolyte transport into fecal water due to exogenous substances and rare toxins (eg, cholera toxin)

 

Fecal osmolality is normally in equilibrium with vascular osmolality, and sodium is the major effector of this equilibrium. Fecal osmolality is normally 2 x (sodium + potassium) unless there are exogenous factors inducing a change in composition, such as the presence of other osmotic agents (magnesium sulfate, saccharides) or drugs inducing secretions, such as phenolphthalein or bisacodyl.

 

Differentiating osmotic from non-osmotic causes of diarrhea is the goal of liquid stool testing.(1,2) The primary way this is accomplished is through the measurement of sodium and chloride and calculation of the osmotic gap, which uses an assumed normal osmolality of 290 mOsm/kg rather than direct measurement of the osmolality.

Measurement of osmolality can be useful in the evaluation of chronic diarrhea to help identify whether a specimen has been diluted with hypotonic fluid to simulate diarrhea.(1,3)

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.

An interpretive report will be provided

Interpretation
Provides information to assist in interpretation of the test results

Stool osmolality below 220 mOsm/kg indicates dilution with a hypotonic fluid.(1)

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

Prolonged storage at incorrect temperatures may cause osmolality to increase due to bacterial metabolism generating osmotically active products.

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

1. Steffer KJ, Santa Ana CA, Cole JA, Fordtran JS: The practical value of comprehensive stool analysis in detecting the cause of idiopathic chronic diarrhea. Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 2012;41:539-560

2. Sweetser S: Evaluating the patient with diarrhea: A case-based approach. Mayo Clin Proc. 2012;87:596-602

3. Phillips S, Donaldson L, Geisler K, Pera A, Kochar R: Stool composition in factitial diarrhea: a 6-year experience with stool analysis. Ann Intern Med. 1995;123:97-100

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

The depression of the freezing point of serum or other fluid is used to measure osmolality in most osmometers. The extent of lowering below 0 degrees C (the freezing point of water) is a function of the concentration of substances dissolved in the serum. By definition, 1 milliosmole per kilogram lowers the freezing point 0.001858 degrees C.(Schnidler EI, Brown SM, Scott MG: Electrolytes and Blood Gases. In: Rifai N, Horvath AR, Wittwer CT, eds: Tietz Textbook of Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics. 6th ed. Elsevier; 2018:610-612)

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, Thursday

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 3 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 has been modified from the manufacturer's instructions. Its performance characteristics were determined by Mayo Clinic in a manner consistent with CLIA requirements. This test 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.

84999

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
OSMOF Osmolality, F 2693-0
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.
OSMOF Osmolality, F 2693-0

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