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An external quality-control scheme for tricyclic antidepressants
Postgraduate Medical Journal
|January 1, 1980
Summary
Hospital clinical pharmacology labs can improve drug analysis quality through quality-control schemes. Routine analysis of tricyclic antidepressants by experienced labs shows better reliability and lower variation.
Area of Science:
- Clinical Pharmacology
- Laboratory Medicine
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Hospital clinical pharmacology departments use quality-control schemes to assess laboratory performance.
- Monitoring efficiency and reliability of analytical methods is crucial for maintaining high standards.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the reliability of tricyclic antidepressant analysis across multiple laboratories.
- To compare the performance of different analytical methods in a quality-control setting.
Main Methods:
- A quality-control scheme involving 18+ laboratories analyzing spiked sera for tricyclic antidepressants.
- Six different analytical methods were employed.
- Performance was measured using standard deviation and coefficient of variation.
Main Results:
- Coefficients of variation were lower than previously reported.
- External laboratories showed higher variation than internal ones.
- Laboratories with routine tricyclic antidepressant assays demonstrated low variation.
Conclusions:
- Analyst skill and experience significantly impact assay reliability.
- The quality-control scheme provides objective performance measures.
- A self-critical approach is essential for continuous improvement in laboratory diagnostics.