title: Biological variations of hematologic parameters determined by UniCel DxH 800 hematology analyzer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Coulter DxH 800 hematology analyzer can determine conventional hematologic parameters. It also provides many new hematologic parameters, some of which show potential clinical utility.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study, for the first time, the biological variations of new hematologic parameters and reinvestigate the biological variations of conventional hematologic parameters using the newest Coulter hematology analyzer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty adult volunteers (21 women and 19 men) were included. All participants maintained their normal lifestyles. Blood samples were drawn in duplicate by a single experienced phlebotomist and analyzed within 2 hours using a single analyzer. Before each batch analysis, the instrument quality controls were performed using the same lots of reagents.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Within-subject and between-subject biological variations for the conventional hematologic parameters were compatible with published data. The analytic variation of the DxH 800 for these parameters appeared smaller. Index of individuality (ratio of within-subject to between-subject biological variation) for all parameters was low. In addition, intraday and interday biological variations of most parameters studied are fairly constant among the population examined.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These observations are clinically valuable. Data on within-subject biological variation and analytic precision may be used to generate objective delta-check values for use in quality management. Comparing within-subject and between-subject biological variation on new parameters may allow us to decide the utility of traditional population-based reference ranges. Furthermore, documentation of biological variations of new parameters is an essential prerequisite in the development of any clinical application in the future.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Laboratory Center, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Pianhong
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Huqiang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Keqing
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yingying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Dongsheng
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005260:Female; D006403:Hematologic Tests / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011786:Quality Control; D012016:Reference Values; D055815:Young Adult