Comparison and standardization of measurement of anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody between laboratories.
The presence of autoantibodies to the acetylcholine receptor (anti-AChR) is useful in the diagnosis of myasthenia gravis, and their titre correlates with severity of the disease. Standardization of their measurement is therefore clinically important. Six laboratories world-wide were asked to determine anti-AChR under local conditions in coded samples and to repeat the measurement on the same samples recorded. There was a high degree of consensus over rank order of the samples but a wide systematic variation in the titres obtained. Standardization of units is an important next step in improving the comparability of anti-AChR data between laboratories.
Bonifacio
E
E
Department of Clinical Immunology, Royal Perth Hospital, Australia.
Cobain
T J
TJ
Dawkins
R L
RL
Griffiths
M
M
Kalden
J R
JR
Peter
J B
JB
Tindall
R S
RS
Vincent
A
A
D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000175:diagnosis; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000276:immunology*; D012015:Reference Standards; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
D001323:Autoantibodies; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic