INTRODUCTION: Due to the budget limitations, laboratories mostly rely on the manufacturers' information about the influence of interfering substances on laboratory results. However, some manufacturers do not follow the recommended procedures for testing interferences (CLSI standard) and there is a great variability in the presentation of data regarding lipemia interference. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We aimed to verify the manufacturers' specifications for lipemia interference for clinical chemistry reagents provided by Beckman Coulter, Roche and Siemens. Bias was determined using the Intralipid® simulated lipemic samples. Furthermore, we aimed to compare obtained data with the manufacturers' claims and desirable specification for imprecision derived from biological variation. RESULTS: i) Manufacturers' declarations were not confirmed for all three manufacturers; ii) the magnitude and direction of the effect of lipemia on laboratory results differ substantially between the three tested analytical systems; and iii) manufacturers are using arbitrary limits in declaring the expected effect of interference on laboratory results. CONCLUSIONS: There is an urgent need to standardize the way manufacturers test and report their data on the lipemia interference. We propose that, instead of arbitrary limits, manufacturers use evidence based quality specifications for assessing the allowable biases. Moreover, laboratories should be aware of the possible lack of replicability of manufacturers' declarations.
INTRODUCTION: Due to the budget limitations, laboratories mostly rely on the manufacturers' information about the influence of interfering substances on laboratory results. However, some manufacturers do not follow the recommended procedures for testing interferences (CLSI standard) and there is a great variability in the presentation of data regarding lipemia interference. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We aimed to verify the manufacturers' specifications for lipemia interference for clinical chemistry reagents provided by Beckman Coulter, Roche and Siemens. Bias was determined using the Intralipid® simulated lipemic samples. Furthermore, we aimed to compare obtained data with the manufacturers' claims and desirable specification for imprecision derived from biological variation. RESULTS: i) Manufacturers' declarations were not confirmed for all three manufacturers; ii) the magnitude and direction of the effect of lipemia on laboratory results differ substantially between the three tested analytical systems; and iii) manufacturers are using arbitrary limits in declaring the expected effect of interference on laboratory results. CONCLUSIONS: There is an urgent need to standardize the way manufacturers test and report their data on the lipemia interference. We propose that, instead of arbitrary limits, manufacturers use evidence based quality specifications for assessing the allowable biases. Moreover, laboratories should be aware of the possible lack of replicability of manufacturers' declarations.
Authors: Gabriel Lima-Oliveira; Gian Luca Salvagno; Giuseppe Lippi; Elisa Danese; Matteo Gelati; Martina Montagnana; Geraldo Picheth; Gian Cesare Guidi Journal: Biochem Med (Zagreb) Date: 2014-10-15 Impact factor: 2.313
Authors: Gabriel Lima-Oliveira; Giuseppe Lippi; Gian Luca Salvagno; Geraldo Picheth; Gian Cesare Guidi Journal: J Med Biochem Date: 2015-07-14 Impact factor: 3.402
Authors: Janne Cadamuro; Giuseppe Lippi; Alexander von Meyer; Mercedes Ibarz; Edmee van Dongen; Michael Cornes; Mads Nybo; Pieter Vermeersch; Kjell Grankvist; Joao Tiago Guimaraes; Gunn B B Kristensen; Barbara de la Salle; Ana-Maria Simundic Journal: Biochem Med (Zagreb) Date: 2019-06-15 Impact factor: 2.313