Icteria interference for 34 clinical chemistry analytes on different analytical platforms: Method or analyzer...

Area of Science:

• Clinical Chemistry
• Laboratory Medicine
• Analytical Toxicology

Background:

• Bilirubin, a common byproduct of heme metabolism, can interfere with laboratory assays.
• Icterus, characterized by elevated bilirubin levels, poses a diagnostic challenge in clinical chemistry.
• Understanding interference patterns is crucial for accurate patient results.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of increasing bilirubin concentrations on 34 clinical chemistry analytes.
• To determine if icterus interference is dependent on the analytical platform and method used.
• To compare interference patterns across four different analytical platforms.

Main Methods:

• A pooled serum sample was spiked with bilirubin to create icteric samples.
• Measurements of 34 analytes were performed in duplicate on four analytical platforms.
• Bias was calculated against non-icteric samples and compared to External Quality Assurance criteria.

Main Results:

• Most analytes showed minimal interference from icterus.
• Triglycerides, cholesterol, and urate exhibited the highest sensitivity to bilirubin interference.
• Interference patterns varied significantly across different analytical platforms.

Conclusions:

• Icterus interference is not uniform across all clinical chemistry assays.
• Analyzer-specific differences in interference were observed, even with identical analytical methods.
• Method and analyzer choice are critical factors in mitigating icterus interference.