Laboratory Workflow Determinants Affecting Glucose Integrity: A Secondary Analysis of Pre-Analytical Errors
Laboratory Workflow Determinants Affecting Glucose
Keywords:
Pre-analytical Errors, Glucose Estimation, Laboratory Diagnosis, In-Vitro Glycolysis, Quality Control, Diagnostic PathogenesisAbstract
Background: Pre-analytical errors are the most critical step to the laboratory diagnostics process. The aim of the secondary analysis was to assess the distribution and predictors of the pre-analytical errors of glucose specimen collection as well as the statistical relationships between pre-analytical errors and delayed processing. Methods The secondary statistical analysis was done on 225 samples (venous blood) collected to test glucose in the Pathology Department of Bahawal Victoria Hospital, Pakistan. Pre-analytical errors, which were measured, were; delay of processing of the specimen (more than 1 hour), hemolysis, inadequate specimen quantity, improper centrifugation and labeling errors. The statistical significance was established to be p < 0.05. Results The age of the study population was 40.7 with 10.9 standard deviation with the females constituting 60 percent of the cohort. The most common error was delayed specimen processing, detected in 9.3% (n= 21) of all samples and 46.7% of the errors. The results of the logistic regression analysis revealed age 40 years and above to be an independent predictive factor of the occurrence of pre-analytical error (Adjusted OR = 1.9: 95%CI = 1.1 3.3: p = .026). The strongest correlation with the total burden of errors was found with delayed specimen processing (p < 0.001). Conclusion: This secondary analysis proves that the pre-analytical errors of glucose testing largely depend on the age of patients and delay in handling the specimen. Late processing proves to be the most significant and adjustable factor causing diagnostic error by an increased level of in vitro glycolysis.
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