title: External quality assessment of bone metabolism marker assays. initial experiences in a UK NEQAS programme.
abstract: This paper reports on a pilot external quality assessment scheme for bone markers including serum bone alkaline phosphatase and procollagen 1-carboxy terminal propeptide together with urine deoxypyridinoline, N- and C-telopeptides. The data shows poor numerical agreement between commercial assays, between-laboratory imprecision that could be improved, and the need for international standardisation of assays.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, UK NEQAS, Sheffield.
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Whitham
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Milford-Ward
mesh_terms: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D003094:Collagen / Q000097:blood*; D024042:Collagen Type I; D006801:Humans; D010455:Peptides / Q000097:blood*; D011786:Quality Control; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D024042:Collagen Type I; D010455:Peptides; C052929:collagen type I trimeric cross-linked peptide; D003094:Collagen; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase