ARUP's Laboratory Test Directory

5-Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid (HIAA), Urine : 0080420

Mnemonic: HIAA

Methodology: Quantitative High Performance Liquid Chromatography
Performed: Sun, Tue-Sat
Reported: 1-3 days
Specimen Required: Patient Prep: Patients should abstain, if possible, from medications, over-the-counter drugs, and herbal remedies for at least 72 hours prior to the test. Foods rich in serotonin (avocados, bananas, eggplant, pineapple, plums, tomatoes, walnuts) and medications that may affect metabolism of serotonin must be avoided at least 72 hours before and during collection of urine for HIAA.

Collect: 24-hour or random urine. Refrigerate 24-hour specimens during collection.

Specimen Preparation: Transfer 4 mL aliquot from a well-mixed 24-hour or random collection to an ARUP Standard Transport Tube. (Min: 1 mL) Record total volume and collection time interval on transport tube and test request form.

Storage/Transport Temperature: Refrigerated.

Unacceptable Conditions: Any sample except urine.

Stability (collection to initiation of testing): Ambient: Unacceptable; Refrigerated: 1 week; Frozen: 2 weeks
Reference Interval:
 
Test Number Components Reference Interval
 5-HIAA, Urine0.0-15.0 mg/d
 5-HIAA, Urine The HIAA-to-creatinine ratio will be reported whenever the urine collection is random or other than 24 hours, or the urine volume is less than 400 mL/24 hours.

0-14 mg/g crt
 Creatinine, Urine - per 24h  
 
Age Male Female
3-8 years 140-700 mg/d 140-700 mg/d
9-12 years 300-1300 mg/d 300-1300 mg/d
13-17 years 500-2300 mg/d 400-1600 mg/d
18-50 years 1000-2500 mg/d 700-1600 mg/d
51-80 years 800-2100 mg/d 500-1400 mg/d
81 years and older 600-2000 mg/d 400-1300 mg/d

Interpretive Data: 5-Hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) results are expressed as a ratio to creatinine excretion (mg/g crt).  HIAA mass per day (mg/d) is not reported if the urine collection is random, other than 24 hours, or for a urine volume less than 400 mL/d. No reference interval is available for results reported in units of mg/L.
Note: Foods and medications associated with altered urinary HIAA results:

Decreased HIAA: Aspirin, chlorpromazine (Thorazine), corticotropin, dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, ethanol, gentisic acid, homogentisic acid, hydrazine derivatives, imipramine (Tofranil®), isocarboxazid (Marplan), keto acids, levodopa, MAO inhibitors, methenamine, methyldopa (Aldomet®), perchlorperazine, phenothiazines (Compazine®), promazine, promethazine (Mepergan®).

Increased HIAA: Acetaminophen, acetanilide, caffeine, coumaric acid, diazepam (Valium®), ephedrine, fluorouracil, glycerol guaiacolate (Guaifenesin), melphalan (Alkeran®), mephenesin, methamphetamine (Desoxyn), methocarbamol (Robaxin®), naproxen, nicotine, phenacetin, phenmetrazine, phenobarbital, phentolamine, rauwolfia, reserpine.
                                                         
       
CPT Code(s): 83497
Cross References: 5-HIAA (5-Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid (HIAA), Urine), Serotonin Metabolite (5-Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid (HIAA), Urine)