Anti-doping analytes in serum: A comparison of SST and SST-II Advance blood collection tubes.

Serum insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), procollagen type III N-terminal peptide (PIIINP), and human growth hormone (hGH) isoforms were analyzed in identical serum samples collected into BD Vacutainer® SST and BD Vacutainer® SST-II Advance serum separator tubes. Comparing the serum collected into each tube, measurement correlation was high (R2  > 0.83) and percent bias was minimal (<|3.2%|) for all analytes measured using World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)-approved tests. As such, it is recommended that both SST and SST-II Advance tubes can be used interchangeably for anti-doping purposes.