Shipment impairs lymphocyte proliferative responses to microbial antigens.
Lymphocyte proliferation assays (LPAs) are widely used to assess T-lymphocyte function of patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection and other primary and secondary immunodeficiency disorders. Since these assays require expertise not readily available at all clinical sites, specimens may be shipped to central labs for testing. We conducted a large multicenter study to evaluate the effects of shipping on assay performance and found significant loss of LPA activity. This may lead to erroneous results for individual subjects and introduce bias into multicenter trials.
Betensky
R A
RA
Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Connick
E
E
Devers
J
J
Landay
A L
AL
Nokta
M
M
Plaeger
S
S
Rosenblatt
H
H
Schmitz
J L
JL
Valentine
F
F
Wara
D
D
Weinberg
A
A
Lederman
H M
HM
D002175:Candida / Q000276:immunology; D002455:Cell Division; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens / Q000276:immunology; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D013300:Streptokinase / Q000276:immunology; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid / Q000276:immunology; D014186:Transportation
D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid; D013300:Streptokinase