Comparison of evaluation procedures used by European external quality assessment scheme organizers for haemoglobin concentration and leukocyte concentration

Blerk, Marjan Van; Albarède, Stéphanie; Deom, A.; Gutiérrez, Gabriela; Heller, Silke; Nazor, Aida; Pakkanen, Anja; Rej, Robert; Curran, Kathleen M.; Sarkany, Erika; Skitek, Milan; Vives‐Corrons, Joan‐Lluis; Zaikin, E V; Libeer, Jean-Claude

doi:10.1007/s00769-008-0364-z

Cited by 5 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 12 publications

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“…In 2008, a study of the comparison of EQA programs grading of a data set of hemoglobin (Hb) and leukocyte count was reported. Among 11 programs, the failure rate for Hb ranged from 0.4 to 15.6% of laboratories, and for leukocyte count, 0–19.8% [ 10 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lack of grading agreement among international hemostasis external quality assessment programs

Olson

Jennings²,

Meijer³

et al. 2018

Blood Coagulation &Amp; Fibrinolysis

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Laboratory quality programs rely on internal quality control and external quality assessment (EQA). EQA programs provide unknown specimens for the laboratory to test. The laboratory's result is compared with other (peer) laboratories performing the same test. EQA programs assign target values using a variety of methods statistical tools and performance assessment of ‘pass’ or ‘fail’ is made. EQA provider members of the international organization, external quality assurance in thrombosis and hemostasis, took part in a study to compare outcome of performance analysis using the same data set of laboratory results. Eleven EQA organizations using eight different analytical approaches participated. Data for a normal and prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) and a normal and reduced factor VIII (FVIII) from 218 laboratories were sent to the EQA providers who analyzed the data set using their method of evaluation for aPTT and FVIII, determining the performance for each laboratory record in the data set. Providers also summarized their statistical approach to assignment of target values and laboratory performance. Each laboratory record in the data set was graded pass/fail by all EQA providers for each of the four analytes. There was a lack of agreement of pass/fail grading among EQA programs. Discordance in the grading was 17.9 and 11% of normal and prolonged aPTT results, respectively, and 20.2 and 17.4% of normal and reduced FVIII results, respectively. All EQA programs in this study employed statistical methods compliant with the International Standardization Organization (ISO), ISO 13528, yet the evaluation of laboratory results for all four analytes showed remarkable grading discordance.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lack of grading agreement among international hemostasis external quality assessment programs

Olson

Jennings²,

Meijer³

et al. 2018

Blood Coagulation &Amp; Fibrinolysis

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Proficiency tests for laboratories: a systematic review

Albano

Caten

2014

Accred Qual Assur

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Impact of randomized blinded rechecking program on the performance of the AFB Microscopy Laboratory Network in Uganda: a decadal retrospective study

et al. 2023

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Background Smear microscopy has remained the initial diagnostic test for presumptive tuberculosis (TB) patients in health facilities without the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended rapid diagnostic tools. In the Uganda TB laboratory network, the technique remains the only tool to monitor response to treatment among drug susceptible TB patients, with the country currently having over 1,600 microscopy TB testing units. It has been evidenced that acid-fast bacilli (AFB) microscopy’s yield highly depends on the staining technique and reading ability of the laboratory personnel. For the quality of TB testing in the country, the TB control program set up a Randomized Blinded Rechecking (RBRC) program in 2008 to monitor the testing performance of laboratories to continuously improve the reliability and efficiency of results. This is the first study to determine the effectiveness and impact of the RBRC program on the performance of the participating laboratories in Uganda. Methods This was a retrospective cross-sectional study based on a record review of the RBRC’s annual results compilations between January 2008 and December 2017. Results Between January 2008 and December 2017, a total of 265,523 smears were re-checked during the RBRC program. The number of enrolled laboratories in the RBRC program rose from 660 to 2008 to 1,406 in 2017. The RBRC program resulted in a statistically significant reduction in microscopy errors, with false positives decreasing from 12.8% to 2008 to 7.6% in 2017, false positive errors decreasing from 10 to 6.3%, false negative errors decreasing from 2.9 to 0.7%, quantification errors decreasing from 6.0 to 1.8%, and the overall sensitivity of smear microscopy compared to the controllers increased with statistical significance from 93 to 97%. Conclusion The study reveals an overall significant error reduction and an improved sensitivity of smear microscopy upon continuous implementation of the RBRC program in an AFB microscopy TB laboratory network. Implementation of a RBRC program is crucial and essential to maintaining a reliable TB laboratory service that can facilitate accurate diagnosis and offset the disadvantages of using smear microscopy.

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Comparison of evaluation procedures used by European external quality assessment scheme organizers for haemoglobin concentration and leukocyte concentration

Cited by 5 publications

References 12 publications

Lack of grading agreement among international hemostasis external quality assessment programs

Lack of grading agreement among international hemostasis external quality assessment programs

Proficiency tests for laboratories: a systematic review

Impact of randomized blinded rechecking program on the performance of the AFB Microscopy Laboratory Network in Uganda: a decadal retrospective study

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