Clin Chem Lab Med
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Six Sigma metrics were used to assess the analytical quality of automated clinical chemistry and immunoassay tests in a large Belgian clinical laboratory and to explore the importance of the source used for estimation of the allowable total error. Clinical laboratories are continually challenged to maintain analytical quality. However, it is difficult to measure assay quality objectively and quantitatively. ⋯ Six Sigma is a more efficient way to control quality, but the lack of TEa targets for many analytes and the sometimes inconsistent TEa targets from different sources are important variables for the interpretation and the application of Sigma metrics in a routine clinical laboratory. Sigma metrics are a valuable means of comparing the analytical quality of two or more analyzers to ensure the comparability of patient test results.
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Defining common reference intervals (RIs) are encouraging. The aim of this study is to establish RIs for complete blood count (CBC) in a Chinese Han population and probe their age- and sex-related CBC trends. Additionally, we will compare the CBC RIs of Han with those of other races. ⋯ RIs for major blood cell parameters are not method-dependent; variations obviously exist in age, sex and race. Consequently, common RIs for most CBC parameters appear inapplicable.