Evaluation of the Abbott automated random, immediate and continuous access immunoassay analyser, the AxSYM

The new Abbott automated immunoassay analyser called AxSYM was evaluated in our laboratories. The AxSYM is a completely automated system that allows random access in combination with immediate and continuous access. Here we describe the evaluation of the AxSYM on three panels of analytes, thyroid, fertility and tumour markers. We observed good within-run reproducibility (ranging from %CV = 3.15 to 11.37 for low assay control to %CV = 1.18 to 6.38 for high controls) as well as between-day and between-laboratory precision (low controls 3.44 to 14.6% CV and high controls 2.56 to 8.9% CV). The analytical sensitivity of the assays ranged from very sensitive to acceptable, but always better than claimed by the manufacturer. The throughput of the AxSYM in our hands was 68 tests per hour. Correlation between the AxSYM assays and other Abbott assays (IMx) was excellent (slopes ranging from 0.965 to 1.071, correlation, r = 0.964 to 0.999). Compared to the Tosoh AIA 1200, good correlation was observed (slopes ranging from 0.964 to 1.111, correlation, r = 0.740 to 1.000), except for thyrotropin (slope = 0.689, r = 0.998) and carcinoembryonic antigen (slope = 0.737, r = 0.949). We concluded that the AxSYM represents a new generation of random access automated immuno analysers with very good performance in a daily routine use. We also concluded that the AxSYM was very technician friendly compared to the Tosoh AIA 1200.