Sigma Metrics Across the Total Testing Process.

Laboratory quality control has been developed for several decades to ensure patients' safety, from a statistical quality control focus on the analytical phase to total laboratory processes. The sigma concept provides a convenient way to quantify the number of errors in extra-analytical and analytical phases through the defect per million and sigma metric equation. Participation in a sigma verification program can be a convenient way to monitor analytical performance continuous quality improvement.

Evaluation of the analytical performance of the nova StatSensor creatinine meter for blood testing.

Background And Objective: For reliability of laboratory results, all methods, instruments, and reagents should be evaluated The Nova StatSensor creatinine meter is a hand-held device for determination of creatinine concentration in the whole blood Therefore, the device has to be validated or verified before performing.

Material And Method: Observational analysis method with cross sectional design was used in this evaluation. The commercial reagents and coded samples were prepared for linearity, precision, accuracy, and interference studies.

Prevalence of BRCA1 expression in epithelial ovarian cancer: immunohistochemical study.

The 99 formalin fxed paraffin-embedded ovarian tissue specimens of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer (EOC) patients treated at the Gynecologic Oncology Unit, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital between January 1, 1996 and December 31, 1999, were immuno-stained with BRCA antibody using the immunohistochemical method. According to the criteria for BRCA1 immunohistochemical evaluation (neoplastic nuclear staining more than 10%), 12 (12.1%) of the 99 specimens showed positive BRCA1 expression.

Evaluation of calculated low-density lipoprotein against a direct assay.

Objectives: To evalate compare the calculated LDL determined by the Friedewald formula when Tg < 200 mg/dL, 200-399 mg/dL, and > or =400 mg/dL against a direct method.

Material And Method: Samples from 202 participants (122 males, 80 females, aged 20-87 years old) were determined for cholesterol, triglyceride (Tg), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) at Department of Laboratory Medicine, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital (KCMH). LDL was determined by Friedewald formula and a direct method.

Annual laboratory checkup: early signs of health problems in young and middle-age adults.

The objective of this descriptive study was to review the usefulness and relevance of the present parameters provided in an annual laboratory health checkup program. Three hundred sixty-four volunteers were randomly selected, composed of 141 males and 223 females age 15 to 81 years old. Samples from all the volunteers were analyzed for CBC, FBG, BUN, Cr, uric acid, Chol, HDLc, Tg, AST, ALT, ALP, UA and stool examination.

Determination of reference intervals of HbA1C (DCCT/NGSP) and HbA1C (IFCC) in adults.

Objective: To establish HbA1C reference intervals according to DCCT/NGSP (HbA1C DCCT/NGSP) and IFCC (HbA1C IFCC) in adults.

Study Design: The study was a descriptive study.

Material And Method: The study was done in 144 subjects, with 99 males and 45 females, aged between 19 to 78 years old.

Reference value for C-reactive protein and its distribution pattern in thai adults.

Background: To set a reference value for high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) in a healthy Thai population and study the effect of time, gender and age on that value.

Methods And Results: Three hundred and sixty-four subjects, aged between 18 and 74 years, comprising 185 men and 279 women, were studied. Another 10 healthy subjects, aged between 18 and 54 years, were recruited for the study of circadian variation in hs-CRP over the days of the week and the months of a year.

Cost analysis of laboratory tests: a study of the Central Laboratory of King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital.

Objectives: To present cost analysis on laboratory management of laboratory tests provided by the Central Laboratory of King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital (KCMH).

Material And Method: The expenditure and income of the laboratory were studied using a descriptive design.

Results: The Central Laboratory provided routine hematology, urinalysis, and chemistry tests, and performed 2,157,275 tests in year 2002.

Relationship between progesterone receptor level in endometrium and bleeding pattern in depot medroxyprogesterone acetate users.

Bleeding disturbance is the major reason for discontinuation among depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) users. However, the causes of progestin-induced bleeding are not well understood. The aim of the study was to examine the correlation between the occurrence of uterine bleeding and progesterone receptor (PR) levels in the endometrium.

Situation of laboratory service and instruments in Thailand: a descriptive study from questionnaires.

Laboratory instruments are one of the main items in laboratory investment. To establish data for the situation of laboratory service and instruments in Thailand, questionnaires were randomly sent to one hundred and twenty laboratories. Sixty-three filled questionnaires from eleven university and affiliated hospitals, thirty-four government hospitals, and eighteen private hospital laboratories were sent back to the authors to be analyzed.

Evaluation of the Sysmex UF-100 automated urinalysis analyzer and comparative study with JCCLS reference method.

Microscopic urine sediment analysis has been accepted as the mainstay test for examining urine cells and particles. Although it provides essential information for clinicians about disease states in the patients, it is a high-volume and laborious procedure. Therefore, an automated analyzer was developed recently and has just been introduced to Thailand.