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Matrix effects and the accuracy of cholesterol analysis
J W Ross1, G L Myers, B F Gilmore
1Department of Pathology and Clinical Laboratories, Kennestone Hospital, Marietta, Ga.
Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine
|April 1, 1993
Summary
Matrix effects cause bias in cholesterol testing. A computational method corrected this bias, improving accuracy and meeting proficiency testing goals for most systems. Further improvements in reference materials are needed.
Area of Science:
- Clinical Chemistry
- Laboratory Medicine
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Matrix effects introduce significant bias in total cholesterol measurements.
- Proficiency testing (PT) systems often show bias due to matrix effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To computationally remove matrix effect bias from PT data.
- To evaluate the accuracy of cholesterol testing systems after bias correction.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 37 instrument/reagent-specific systems for total cholesterol.
- Application of a computational method to correct for matrix effect bias in PT data.
- Comparison of corrected results against reference and definitive methods.
Main Results:
- 70% of systems showed bias due to matrix effects.
- After correction, 92-95% of results met established accuracy goals (NCEG and CLIA '88).
- 41% of peer groups exceeded bias goals when compared to the definitive method.
Conclusions:
- Matrix effects significantly impact cholesterol test accuracy and interlaboratory comparability.
- Computational bias correction improves PT results, but calibration bias remains a concern.
- Accurate recovery of cholesterol from reference materials is crucial for advancing test accuracy.