Evaluación de Presición y exactitud de los resultados de laboratorios de química clínica / Annual Reports 1992 / Evaluation of percision and accuracy of the results of laboratories of clinical chemistry

RESUMO

In 1990, the Health Sciences Research Institute (IICS) of the National Univercity of Asunción and the Paraguayan Association of Biochemists carried out a survey on the reliability of biochemists and or as customers of supply houses were offered participation. Control sera prepared in the IICVS were used in the survey to determine precision and accuracy of the results. The survey of precision yielded a response rate of 37 percent (60 of 163 laboratories responded), whereas the response rate on accuracy was 24 percent (39 of 163 loboratories). Responders were similar to the total sample in their geographic location, but dissimilar with respect to public or private status, response rate was clearly higher among public laboratories. In the study of precision, the participating laboratories had variation coefficients ranging from 38 percent to 84 percent, values far beyond the internationally accepted standard. Moreover, 41 percent of the loboratories showed important deficiencies in the accuracy of their results. The studies demostrate important deficiencies of both accuracy and precsion in the participating clinical laboratories. Although responders may not be representative of the total population (There is no information about non responders in this anonymous study), the results clearly show that educational programs to implement Quality Control Systems in Laboratories are urgently needed