Interlaboratory interprotocol comparison of indirect immunobead assay for sperm-associated antibodies in serum.
This investigation was designed to study the effect of two different protocols on the indirect sperm-associated antibody test on serum performed using Bio-Rad immunobead (IBT) at two andrology laboratories. Aliquots of 31 serum samples from infertile couples were analyzed by both protocols. The IBT was negative by both protocols (100% concordance) for 18 serum samples. Seven of the 13 remaining samples were positive by both protocols (> or = 10% bead attachment by protocol A and > or = 20% bead attachment by protocol B), for a concordance of 54%. The remaining six samples were positive by one of the two protocols. The overall concordance for positive and negative results was 81% (25 of 31 samples). Protocol A detected a higher percentage of bead attachments for IgG and IgA, while protocol B detected a higher percentage of bead attachments for IgM. The discordance in the results of IgA attachment obtained by the two protocols was statistically significant (p < .05). A standardized, uniform protocol for the indirect IBT is needed.
Prakash
P
P
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston 02114, USA.
Ozturk
E
E
MacLaughlin
D T
DT
Schiff
I
I
Loughlin
K R
KR
Agarwal
A
A
D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D007163:Immunosorbent Techniques / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008863:Microspheres; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000276:immunology*
D001323:Autoantibodies; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M