Discrepancy in HbA1c measurements performed at different local laboratories and at a selected central reference laboratory.
As participants in a general practice intervention study, 66 patients had their HbA1c measured both at a local and at a selected central reference laboratory. A discrepancy in the results was observed, as 97% of the results measured locally were lower than the centrally determined results. Bias (as calculated from mean value of measured HbA1c) between local laboratories and the central laboratory was measured to -1.47% HbA1c. A bias of this magnitude gave "problems" both to the general practitioners, patients and laboratories. To reduce the "problems" a bias of 0.5% HbA1c is estimated to be acceptable. But, to avoid these "problems" totally, a bias of 0.25% HbA1c is estimated to be the highest allowed bias. For HbA1c, a control system for both control of method standardisation and for specificity is described.
Department of Clinical Chemistry, Odense University Hospital, Denmark.
O N
ON
Jensen
N
N
de Fine Olivarius
P H
PH
Petersen
N A
NA
Klitgaard
O
O
Blaabjerg
M
M
Hørder
D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007753:Laboratories; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D015588:Observer Variation; D011786:Quality Control; D012015:Reference Standards; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin