Reporting of quantitative protein electrophoresis in Australia and New Zealand: a call for standardisation.
BACKGROUND
The lack of guidelines on reporting standards for protein electrophoresis may have led to significant differences in reports from different laboratories.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the extent of variation in reporting of protein electrophoresis results in Australia and New Zealand.


METHODS
Questionnaires were distributed to laboratories throughout Australia and New Zealand asking about protein electrophoresis practices and reporting.


RESULTS
Extensive variation was found in the following reporting practices: (a) units for urine Bence Jones protein (BJP); (b) reporting absence of a paraprotein rather than a normal pattern; (c) numerical reporting of all protein fractions or only the paraprotein; (d) warning of possible inaccuracy in the serum immunoglobulin result of the paraprotein type; (e) co-migration of a paraprotein with a normal serum protein; (f) use of a confirmatory test when a known paraprotein is no longer detectable.


CONCLUSIONS
A working party should be established to make recommendations on the reporting of protein electrophoresis. Implementation of such recommendations should reduce both report variation between laboratories and the risk of misinterpretation of reports.
Department of Biochemistry, PathWest Laboratory Medicine WA, Fremantle Hospital, Fremantle, WA 6959, Australia. Zoe.Inman@health.wa.gov.au
Zoe
Z
Inman
Helen
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Martin
S A Paul
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