Neonatal screening external quality assessment in China, 2014
Kun Zhong1, Wei Wang1, Falin He1
1Beijing Hospital, National Centre for Clinical Laboratories, Beijing, China.
Journal of Medical Screening
|June 21, 2015
Summary
Neonatal screening external quality assessment (EQA) in China showed high accuracy for qualitative tests (near 100%) and acceptable quantitative results for most analytes. Future EQA should use more challenging samples to further improve screening standards.
Area of Science:
- Clinical Chemistry
- Laboratory Medicine
- Neonatal Screening
Background:
- Neonatal screening programs are crucial for early detection of congenital disorders.
- External Quality Assessment (EQA) is vital for ensuring the accuracy and reliability of laboratory testing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the 2014 neonatal screening external quality assessment (EQA) results in China.
- To evaluate the performance of laboratories in detecting key neonatal conditions.
Main Methods:
- EQA test panels for phenylalanine (Phe), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), and 17-alpha-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP) were distributed.
- Results from 170-176 laboratories were collected and analyzed using chi-square tests.
Main Results:
- Overall correct recognition rates for qualitative tests were high (93.40%–99.84%).
- Acceptable quantitative result proportions ranged from 84.65% to 99.84%.
- Significant differences in performance were observed between measurement systems and among programs.
Conclusions:
- Most quantitative neonatal screening results were acceptable, with qualitative tests nearing 100% accuracy.
- Improving EQA by using more challenging samples and wider concentration ranges is recommended.
- These improvements will enhance future neonatal screening standards.
Keywords:
17-alpha-hydroxy progesteroneExternal quality assessmentGlucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenaseNeonatal screeningPhenylalanineThyroid stimulating hormone
