Fasting and collection notes on lab reports: what the wording records
Collection notes record the conditions of a sample, not the result. A fasting status says what was stated about food before the draw; a specimen note such as hemolyzed, lipemic or insufficient describes the sample; a corrected status says a report was reissued. They sit in the header, beside a result or in a footnote. Copy them with the values they apply to.
Not medical advice. This guide describes what the parts of a lab report are and how they are recorded. It does not say what any result means for a person, and it does not recommend treatment, supplements or targets.
What these notes record
Fasting status. A line such as Fasting: Yes, Non-fasting or Not given records what was stated at ordering or collection about food before the draw. It is a statement on the report, not a value the lab measured. How many hours count as fasting is set by the lab's or the test's instructions, not by the report.
Specimen condition. Labs describe the sample they received. Hemolyzed means red cells in the sample broke open. Lipemic means the sample was cloudy with fat. Icteric means yellow-tinted. QNS or insufficient means too little sample for a test. A lab may add a comment to affected results or cancel a test; which assays are sensitive to which condition is documented by the lab and the assay maker, and this guide does not go into it.
Handling and status. Examples are a delay between collection and processing, a sample that was not kept cold or frozen when required, a timed collection such as a 24-hour urine, a recollection, and a corrected or amended report. Notes can sit in the report header, in a Comments column, beside one result or in a footnote on a later page.
Keeping the note with the result
Five steps.
Look in four places
Check the header, the result row, any comments column and the footnotes, including later pages. Notes often sit away from the result they describe.
Copy the wording as printed
Write fasting status and specimen remarks exactly as shown, in a notes column. Do not turn Not given into non-fasting.
Tie each note to its scope
Say whether a note covers the whole report, a panel or one line. A fasting line covers the sample; a hemolysis comment may cover only some tests. In a long sheet, repeat a report-wide note on every row of that report, or keep a separate report log.
Record the time as well as the date
If a collection time is printed, keep it beside the date. A date alone cannot show whether two draws were hours apart.
Record status changes
When a corrected report replaces an earlier one, keep the new values and note the replacement, so the old row does not stand as current.
Common notes and what they record
Wording varies by lab.
| Note as printed | What it records | Where it usually sits |
|---|---|---|
| Fasting, Non-fasting | A stated fasting status at ordering or collection | Header or collection details |
| Fasting: Not given | No status was provided. It is not the same as non-fasting | Header |
| Hemolyzed | Red cells in the sample broke open | A comment on affected results |
| Lipemic | The sample was cloudy with fat | A comment on affected results |
| Icteric | The sample was yellow-tinted | A comment on affected results |
| QNS, insufficient | Too little sample for a test, so a result may be missing or partial | Beside the test |
| Preliminary, Corrected, Amended | Report status: some results may change, or a reissue replaces an earlier report | Header or footer |
| Timed, 24-hour, random | How the sample was timed: collected over a stated period, at a stated time, or at no particular time | Header or beside the test |
What goes wrong
Most come from a note being separated from its result.
- Turning Not given into non-fasting. A missing statement is not a statement. Keep the words as printed.
- Leaving the comment on page two. A footnote on a later page can qualify a result on page one.
- Adding a fasting duration. A report typically states a status, not a number of hours. Do not supply one it did not print.
- Applying a specimen comment to the whole report. A hemolysis note may attach to some tests only. Copy its scope.
- Losing the time of day. Two draws on one date can be hours apart. Copy the time if it is printed.
- Keeping a superseded report. A corrected report replaces the earlier one. Leaving both unlabelled gives two rows for one draw.
How BioPanel helps
BioPanel's table has eleven fixed columns and none for fasting status or specimen comments, so copy those from the original into a notes column of your own. It reads the collection date, falls back to the date of service or the report date and says so, and keeps the date only, not the time of day. Rows with a name but no value, such as a comment line, are skipped. Upload a lab report PDF or photo for the results and keep the original beside the sheet for its notes. Free: 1 file per day, up to 10 pages, no account. Files over 10 pages are converted up to page 10 on the free allowance; a page code converts the whole file, up to 150 pages. See pricing.
Questions people ask
What does fasting mean on a lab report?
A recorded statement about whether food was taken before the sample was collected. It is a status written on the report, not a value the lab measured, and the number of hours belongs to the lab's instructions.
What is the difference between non-fasting and fasting not given?
Non-fasting states that the sample was not fasting. Not given means no status was recorded. They are different entries, so copy the words instead of choosing one.
What does hemolyzed mean?
Red cells in the sample broke open before testing. The lab may add a comment, report an index of it, or decline a test. Which results are sensitive to it is documented by the lab, not by this guide.
Where do collection notes appear on a report?
In the header, in a comments column, beside a single result, or in a footnote that can continue on a later page. Read the whole report before concluding there are none.
Should I record the collection time?
If the report prints one, yes, beside the date. Two samples taken on the same date can be hours apart, and the date alone cannot show it.
Does a note change what a result means?
This guide describes what notes record. Whether a note matters for a particular result is a question for the lab or a clinician. This is not medical advice.