For how long after collection are the Dried Blood Spots stable?
Unfortunately, not very much. A recent work performed in Athens’ main screening center (sponsored by our company) showed that Dried Blood Spot (DBS) samples lose their enzyme activity quickly not following any particular kinetic or pattern. Thus, while some samples retained activity for more than two months, most of them lost all activity within 5 days following collection. This was the case with samples being stored at either room temperature or refrigerated. Naturally, samples stored at room temperature tended to lose activity a bit earlier but still, refrigerated samples didn’t keep it for much longer. Whole blood samples, stored either way, were shown to retain activity for much longer (an average of two months, while no sample lost its activity earlier than 3 weeks post collection). Of course, screening is mainly performed using DBS samples which are transported much easier and this is by far the most economic way to collect the cards. However, the option of collecting the DBS sam
