Increased preanalytical errors during Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The clinical laboratories worldwide have faced numerous obstacles due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the midst of this outbreak, mistakes that occur during the preanalytical phase of sample collection, transportation, and processing can result in unfavorable clinical outcomes. Therefore, the aim of this investigation was to ascertain and contrast the rate at which blood specimens are rejected by a clinical laboratory and to analyze and compare the types of preanalytical errors during the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods. The present retrospective study was done in Chhatrapati Shivaji Subharti Hospital; India. Information was gathered from two distinct time periods - the pre-pandemic phase, which spanned from December 30th, 2019 to March 22, 2020, and the pandemic phase, which ran from March 23th to November 30, 2020. The rate of rejection for blood samples was established by determining the percentage of blood collection tubes containing preanalytical mistakes out of the total number of tubes received. A total of 102,000 blood samples were examined, out of which 40,800 (40%) were collected during the pandemic. The pandemic phase witnessed a significantly higher rate of rejection of blood samples (4%) as compared to the pre-pandemic phase (1%) (P < 0.001). In both phases, the most common preanalytical error was the clotting of samples. There was a significant increase in improperly labeled samples during the pandemic, while there was a notable decrease in hemolyzed samples. Given the prevailing situation of the Corona pandemic, altered logistics have led to a significant surge in preanalytical errors and consequent rejection of blood specimens in clinical laboratories. Therefore, it is imperative to take corrective measures at different levels to minimize preanalytical errors, which would ultimately enhance patient care and optimize the utilization of resources.