title: Multicentre evaluation of the Tosoh HbA1c G8 analyser.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We report a Dutch-Belgian multicentre evaluation of the Tosoh HLC-723G8 glycohaemoglobin analyser, an ion-exchange HPLC instrument for the separation and quantification of haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in whole blood.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated the analytical performances of the Tosoh G8 analyser and compared the results for blood samples with its predecessor, the Tosoh G7, and with two other widely used analysers, the Bio-Rad Variant II and Adams Arkray HA-8160.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Within- and between-batch imprecision [coefficient of variation (CVs)] was <0.5% and 2%, respectively, and compared favourably with the G7. The excellent performances in terms of speed (1.6 min/analysis) did not result in increased variability of the results or carry-over between samples. The method shows no interference from carbamylated haemoglobin, and recognises the presence of haemoglobinopathies, which triggers the correction of the HbA1c result. Comparison with established methods showed good correlation, not only with the G7 but also with the Variant II and HA-8160 systems.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With respect to reproducibility, chromatographic resolution, speed of analysis and identification of Hb variants, the Tosoh G8 analyser can be considered to be state of the art.
authors.affiliation: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège, Laboratoire de Chimie médicale, Sart Tilman, Liège, Belgium (Centre 1). jp.chapelle@chu.ulg.ac.be
authors.forename: Jean-Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Chapelle
authors.forename: Jelda
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Maisin
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Assink
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Barla
authors.forename: An K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Stroobants
authors.forename: Barend
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Delzenne
authors.forename: Wouter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: van den Eshof
mesh_terms: D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D002138:Calibration; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D010641:Phenotype; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000032:analysis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
chemical_list: D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D020033:Protein Isoforms; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human