In the clinical chemistry laboratory, serum is the routinely used specimen. Obtaining the specimen of choice requires blood clotting for 30-60 minutes. In urgent cases, time is of the utmost importance. Hence, the plasma samples are preferable. The journal of Oguzhan Zengi entitled, "The Transition from Gel Separatory Tubes to Lithium Heparin Gel Tubes in the Clinical Laboratory" assesses the viability of Lithium Heparin Gel Tubes in terms of its implications on Turnaround Time (TAT), hemolysis index values, aspiration errors and to assess the possibility of switching to these tubes in Clinical Chemistry tests and Emergency cases. To further establish the viability of Lithium Heparin Gel Tubes for Clinical Chemistry Tests and Immunoassays necessitates retests and further testing.

The journal "Clinical Laboratory Testing in the Emergency Department: A Six-year Analysis" by Beştemir, A. & Bozdereli Berikol, G. (2023) states that the most common clinical laboratory tests in the emergency department were kidney function tests, liver function tests, acute phase reactants, electrolytes, and CBC. In the article "Comparison of Test Results Obtained from Heparin Gel Tubes and Serum Gel Tubes," Ercan, Ş. (2020), the analytes tested for this study are similar to the analytes tested by Oguzhan Zengi but differ in terms of sample source, wherein Ercan's Study utilizes both healthy and hemodialysis patient as sample source to compare the values generated by lithium heparin gel and serum gel tubes. In this study, 28 analytes, or all of the analytes measured in lithium heparin gel tubes, yield similar results with serum gel tubes. To further establish the viability of heparin tubes in clinical chemistry and urgent cases, it is necessary to test for Complete Liver Function Tests. Complete Liver Function tests include Total Bile Acids, a marker for detecting liver functional changes, and Cholinesterase, which detects liver disease and determines poisoning risks. By conducting such, one can further assess the limitations of lithium heparin gel tubes.

Beştemir, A. & Bozdereli Berikol, G. (2023). Clinical laboratory testing in the emergency department: a six-year analysis. Turkish Journal of Biochemistry, 48(5), 467-474. https://doi.org/10.1515/tjb-2022-0250

Ercan, Ş. (2020). Comparison of test results obtained from lithium heparin gel tubes and serum gel tubes. Turkish Journal of Biochemistry, 45(5), 575-586. https://doi.org/10.1515/tjb-2019-0117