Evaluation of analytical performance of Sebia Capillarys 3 Octa electrophoresis method for serum protein...

Protein electrophoresis is a crucial test in clinical diagnostic laboratory, aimed for evaluation of plasma protein distribution. With its capability for highresolution protein separation, rapid analysis and automated features, capillary electrophoresis (CE) has emerged as a valuable alternative to the traditional gel-based methods that are widely used in our country. This study aimed to evaluate the analytical performance of Sebia Capillary 3 Octa CE system in our laboratory setting.

The study was conducted at the Protein Diagnostic Laboratory, Hospital Pakar Universiti Sains Malaysia. Within-run and between run precision was assessed using Sebia Capillarys 3 Octa CE system with commercially available normal and pathological control sera. Accuracy was evaluated by comparing results from the Sebia Capillarys 3 Octa with those from the Sebia Hydrasys 2 Scan gel electrophoresis analyzer using both healthy and patient serum samples. Reference interval verification involved testing serum from healthy volunteers. Statistical analyses included mean, standard deviation, coefficient of variation (CV), linear regression, and Bland-Altman analysis.

Sebia Capillarys 3 Octa demonstrated good precision across all serum protein fractions, with within-run CVs for normal serum ranging from 0.97% (albumin) to 7.04% (alpha-1), and between-run CVs below 7.22%. Pathological serum showed CVs from 0.60% (gamma) to 5.09% (alpha-1), and from 0.89% (albumin) to 10.32% (alpha- 2) for within-run and between run CV, respectively. CE correlated strongly with gel electrophoresis for albumin and gamma globulin (r > 0.95), with alpha 1, alpha2 and beta showed good correlation (r >0.80) between the two methods. There was minimal bias (-1.1 to +2.1) noted. Reference interval verification confirmed compatibility with manufacturer-provided ranges.

Sebia Capillarys 3 Octa provides reliable, automated analysis for serum protein fractions, offering performance comparable to the conventional agarose gel electrophoresis analyzer with enhanced operational benefits for routine laboratory use.