Alternatives to CellTrend POTS panel?

[marcjf]

Hello,

I currently live in Ontario/Canada. My Dr. helped me request a CellTrend POTS panel (https://www.celltrend.de/en/pots-cfs-me-crps/), run by a lab in Germany. It is the only lab I found to offer such a vast array of auto-antibodies diagnostics for POTS.

However the shipping requirements are quite strict. They recommend a transit time of up to 48hrs, although they told me that 72hrs is acceptable.

I found this impossible to meet, specially during the pandemic. I had my blood collected at a local lab, and shipped via Fedex International Priority. In theory, they should meet the deadline for shipment, but I did not find this to be true in practice.

I do not know how anyone manages to send a sample in such a short time across the Atlantic. My sample even went to US before even going to Germany.

Is there a similar lab running these kind of POTS AAB panels in North America instead?

 

[Gingergrrl]

I don't know of a North American lab that runs the Cell Trend panels. I think there is another lab in Germany that does them (but realize that does not help you )! I've done the Cell Trend tests three times (twice myself and once as part of a study) in 2015, 2016 and 2018. I'm on the US west coast and the blood sample always got to Germany in time w/Fedex Overnight International like you said.

It usually took 48-72 hours which the head of Cell Trend said was okay. He said ideally to send it on a Monday so there was no chance of the package sitting somewhere over a weekend. Although all of this was prior to COVID and everything is much slower now. What happened when you sent it w/Fedex Overnight International?

 

[marcjf]

I don't know of a North American lab that runs the Cell Trend panels. I think there is another lab in Germany that does them (but realize that does not help you )! I've done the Cell Trend tests three times (twice myself and once as part of a study) in 2015, 2016 and 2018. I'm on the US west coast and the blood sample always got to Germany in time w/Fedex Overnight International like you said.

It usually took 48-72 hours which the head of Cell Trend said was okay. He said ideally to send it on a Monday so there was no chance of the package sitting somewhere over a weekend. Although all of this was prior to COVID and everything is much slower now. What happened when you sent it w/Fedex Overnight International?

Hello,
Thanks for the response. Nice to hear from someone with experience on those tests.
The lab that collected my sample sent it for me via a service they call Fedex International Priority. It is the same option they offer me when I quote through their website. The estimated delivery time for this option is 48h. However, they cancelled any guarantees and refunds due to Covid. Mine is taking the entire week already.

I did notice that the package was routed through US, so maybe having yet another hop on the way just adds up? Not sure.

 

[nerd]

The lab associated with the Charitè who developed this test also offer it. They are called IMD Berlin. It's no POTS-specific test though. It could be interpreted as such because it indicates neuro-muscular exhaustibility. You can also use it as a CFS/ME diagnostic marker as the Charitè proposes. In my case, the results were consistent with the Charitè's findings. The blood still has to get there fresh. Maybe, it's also possible to send it in frozen. If their testing method relies on lymphocytes, it's unlikely though. In theory, every lab can do this test if they request a license.