title: [Current status of external quality assessment of fecal occult blood test].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nationwide external quality assessment (EQA) of the fecal occult blood test (FOBT) in Korea was first introduced in 2007-2009. The EQA results were analyzed to assess the current status of FOBT and to plan the continuation of the EQA program.
  
  
  METHODS
  The surveys included 40 hospitals in the preliminary survey conducted in 2007, 249 general hospitals in 2008, and 389 hospitals in 2009. In the surveys, the participating hospitals provided the results of the distributed materials and replies to the questionnaire on the FOBT test procedures and quality controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the surveys conducted between 2007 and 2009, a total of 650 institutes submitted 653 test system results; 3 institutes used 2 kinds of methods. All of the institutes used immunologic methods; 107 institutes (16.5%) used quantitative equipments and 546 institutes (84.0%) used qualitative kits. Most quantitative tests yielded consistent positive or negative results; however, their cut-off and measured values differed according to the equipments used. A low-level material tested in 2007 was negative in the quantitative methods but positive in some qualitative methods because of lower detection limits. The discordance rates among quantitative tests were 3.2% in 2007, 4.4% in 2008, and 0% in 2009 and the rates among qualitative tests were 13.8% in 2008 and 2.6% in 2009. Semi-solid EQA materials showed the ability to evaluate the overall test procedures with acceptable stability.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the first Korean FOBT EQA, commercially available EQA materials were proven to be stable. Continuation of the EQA program and further education of laboratory personnel are needed to reduce inconsistency in results. Further, the test kit, procedures, and result reports must be standardized.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Sanggye Paik Hospital, Inje University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Soo Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Young Joo
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Cha
authors.forename: Won-Ki
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Min
authors.forename: You Kyoung
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Seok-Lae
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Chae
authors.forename: Bo-Moon
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Hwan Sub
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Lim
mesh_terms: D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000592:standards; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D003625:Data Collection; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D009780:Occult Blood; D011786:Quality Control; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic