A Questionnaire Survey of HLA Laboratories in Korea (1997) / 대한임상병리학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: We have performed questionnaire surveys of HLA laboratories in 1993 and 1995 and here we report the results of a survey performed in 1997. METHODS: The questionnaires were distributed to 39 HLA laboratories enrolled in the HLA quality assessment (QA) program (started in 1996) in Korea. The questionnaire items were slightly modified from those of the previous survey. RESULTS: Most of the HLA laboratories (31/39, 80%) belonged to the specialties of clinical pathology. Most of the HLA laboratories were of small scale in the number of HLA technicians and the annual number of HLA tests. The methods used for HLA crossmatch were quite improved compared to those of the previous survey (1995). The number of laboratories using sensitive methods such as T-AHG and/or T-long methods has markedly increased (31/34 laboratories, 91%) compared to that of the previous survey (5/29 laboratories, 17%). DNA typing methods for HLA-DR were used in 27 (69%) laboratories, among which 25 laboratories used commercial kits. Some laboratories stored complement at inappropriate temperature, which could adversely affect the test results. As for external QA programs for HLA tests, 7 laboratories were participating in international programs. Most of the laboratories responded that the domestic HLA QA program was of much help for HLA tests, especially for HLA crossmatch tests, and 21 laboratories changed the HLA crossmatch test methods after participating in the QA program. CONCLUSIONS: In recent 2 years, the most prominent changes in domestic HLA laboratories were increased use of HLA-DR DNA typing methods and improvement and standardization of HLA crossmatch test methods. The domestic HLA QA program was considered to be very helpful for quality improvement and standardization of HLA test.