title: Standardization of ABO antibody titer measurement at laboratories in Korea.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Measurement of the ABO antibody (Ab) titer is important in ABO-incompatible transplantation. However, to the best of our knowledge, no standard protocol or external survey program to measure the ABO Ab titer has been established in Korea. We investigated the current status of ABO Ab titer measurements at various laboratories in Korea and the impact of the protocol provided to reduce interlaboratory variations in the methods and results of ABO Ab titers.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Korean external quality assessment of blood bank laboratories sent external survey samples with a questionnaire to 68 laboratories across Korea for the measurement of ABO Ab titers in May 2012. After 6 months, a second set of survey samples were sent with a standard protocol to 53 of the previously surveyed laboratories. The protocol recommended incubation at room temperature only and use of the indirect antihuman globulin method for the tube test as well as and the column agglutination test (CAT).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Several interlaboratory variations were observed in the results, technical procedures, and methods selected for measurement. We found that 80.4% laboratories hoped to change their protocol to the provisional one. Additionally, CAT showed significantly lower variation among laboratories (P=0.006) than the tube test.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study provides baseline data regarding the current status of ABO Ab titer measurement in Korea. The standard protocol and external survey were helpful to standardize the technical procedures and select methods for ABO Ab titer measurement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Ajou University, Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Young Ae
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Ajou University, Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Seon Joo
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kang
mesh_terms: D000017:ABO Blood-Group System / Q000276:immunology*; D000372:Agglutination Tests / Q000592:standards*; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D007753:Laboratories / Q000592:standards*; D056910:Republic of Korea; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D000017:ABO Blood-Group System; D000906:Antibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M
keywords: ABO blood group system; Antibody; Standard; Titer