Which type of blood sample is most affected by hemolysis?

Plasma samples are indeed the type of blood sample most affected by hemolysis. When blood is collected and processed, hemolysis occurs when red blood cells are damaged or lyse, releasing hemoglobin into the surrounding fluid. In the case of plasma samples, which are obtained from anticoagulated blood, any hemolysis that occurs will directly impact the plasma and alter the concentrations of various analytes.

Hemolysis can influence test results by increasing potassium levels, altering liver enzyme levels, and affecting many other substances, leading to potentially misleading interpretations of the results. The presence of free hemoglobin can interfere with colorimetric assays and can also affect the turbidity of the sample, complicating the analysis.

In contrast, serum samples, which are derived from clotted blood, may also be affected by hemolysis, but the overall impact tends to be different since the serum is the liquid that separates after blood has clotted and the cells have settled to the bottom. Whole blood samples, which contain all components of blood including cells, plasma, and platelets, can be affected by hemolysis, but it is the plasma — being the liquid part in direct contact with the lysed cells — that most directly reflects the consequences of hem