Optimizing limited antibody panels for efficient hematological disorders diagnosis by flow cytometry in...

Area of Science:

• Hematology
• Immunophenotyping
• Clinical Diagnostics

Background:

• Flow cytometry (FC) is a crucial diagnostic tool but is often unaffordable in resource-limited settings.
• High costs and long turnaround times (TAT) hinder access to timely FC-based diagnoses for many patients.
• Morphological assessment can guide the optimization of FC panels to improve efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To reduce the overall cost of flow cytometry testing by optimizing a limited antibody panel.
• To improve the accessibility and timeliness of FC diagnostics in underprivileged regions.
• To assess the diagnostic accuracy of an optimized limited antibody panel guided by morphology.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective observational study of 395 patients undergoing FC at Rehman Medical Institute.
• Immunophenotyping of bone marrow or peripheral blood samples using a limited antibody panel after morphological and cytochemical assessment.
• Data analysis using R and R studio, with results presented descriptively and graphically.

Main Results:

• Acute leukemia panels were requested for 56.9% of cases, lymphoproliferative panels for 20.3%, absolute CD4 counts for 20.3%, and PNH screening for 2.5%.
• The optimized limited panels achieved 98-100% diagnostic accuracy for various hematologic disorders.
• Significant cost reductions of 74-82% and TAT reductions of 61-68% were observed compared to reference laboratories.

Conclusions:

• Optimizing minimal antibody panels in resource-limited settings enhances FC-based diagnosis.
• This strategy effectively reduces patient financial burden and improves the timeliness of results.
• Accurate and timely diagnoses guide treatment decisions, ultimately improving patient outcomes.