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Preanalytical and analytical factors affecting laboratory results
1Central Laboratory, Turku University Central Hospital, Finland. kerttu.irjala@tyks.fi
Annals of Medicine
|July 24, 1998
Summary
Laboratory test results can be surprising, not always aligning with patient health. This review explores common factors that can unexpectedly alter lab results in healthy individuals, aiding interpretation.
Area of Science:
- Clinical pathology
- Laboratory medicine
- Diagnostic testing
Background:
- Laboratory test results are crucial for disease diagnosis.
- Discrepancies between lab results and clinical status are common.
- Abnormal results may stem from factors other than disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review common factors influencing laboratory results in healthy individuals.
- To explain unexpected laboratory findings.
- To aid in the interpretation of potentially misleading test outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Review of preanalytical and analytical factors affecting laboratory results.
- Focus on in vivo and in vitro interfering factors.
- Identification of frequently encountered factors in clinical practice.
Main Results:
- Identified numerous factors that can alter laboratory results.
- Highlighted common causes of unexpected results in healthy populations.
- Provided a practical overview of interfering variables.
Conclusions:
- Understanding interfering factors is essential for accurate laboratory result interpretation.
- Distinguishing disease-related abnormalities from other causes prevents misdiagnosis.
- This review offers a practical guide to common confounding variables in laboratory testing.