5-HIAA

What is 5-HIAA?

5-HIAA is a urine test that measures the amount of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) -- a break-down product of a hormone called serotonin.

This test tells how much 5-HIAA the body is producing.

Alternative names

HIAA; 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid; Serotonin metabolite

How the Test is Performed

A 24-hour urine sample is needed.

• On day 1, urinate into the toilet when you get up in the morning.
• Afterwards, collect all urine in a special container for the next 24 hours.
• On day 2, urinate into the container when you get up in the morning.

Cap the container. Keep it in the refrigerator or a cool place during the collection period.

Label the container with your name, the date, the time of completion, and return it as instructed.

For an infant, thoroughly wash the area around the urethra. Open a urine collection bag (a plastic bag with an adhesive paper on one end), and place it on the infant. For males, place the entire penis in the bag and attach the adhesive to the skin. For females, place the bag over the labia. Diaper as usual over the secured bag.

This procedure may take a couple of attempts -- lively infants can move the bag, causing the urine to be absorbed by the diaper. Check the infant frequently and change the bag after the infant has urinated into it. Drain the urine from the bag into the container provided by your health care provider.

Deliver it to the laboratory or your health care provider as soon as possible upon completion.

How to Prepare for the Test

Your health care provider will instruct you, if necessary, to discontinue drugs that may interfere with the test.

Drugs that can increase 5-HIAA measurements include acetanilid, phenacetin, glyceryl guaiacolate (found in many cough syrups), methocarbamol, and reserpine.

Drugs that can decrease 5-HIAA measurements include chlorpromazine, heparin, imipramine, isoniazid, levodopa, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, methenamine, methyldopa, phenothiazines, promethazine, and tricyclic antidepressants.

You will be told not to eat particular foods for 3 days before the test. Foods that can interfere with 5-HIAA measurements include plums, pineapples, bananas, eggplant, tomatoes, avocados, and walnuts.

How the Test Will Feel

The test involves only normal urination, and there is no discomfort.

Why the Test is Performed

This test looks at the level of 5-HIAA in the urine, which is a sign of how much of the substance your body is producing. It is often done to detect tumors in the digestive tract (carcinoid tumors) and to track a patient's condition. The urine test may also be be used to diagnose systemic mastocytosis and endocrine tumors.

Normal Results

The normal range is 3 to 15 milligrams per 24 hours (mg/24 hr).

Note: Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test results.

What Abnormal Results Mean

Abnormal results may be due to:

• Tumors of the endocrine system or the digestive tract
• Mastocytosis

This list is not all-inclusive.

Risks

There are no risks.

References

Goldman L, Ausiello D. Cecil Textbook of Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:1772.

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Review Date: 11/10/2008

Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and James R. Mason, MD, Oncologist, Director, Blood and Marrow Transplantation Program and Stem Cell Processing Lab, Scripps Clinic, Torrey Pines, California. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.