Volume 7
Number 1 January 2023Pre-analytical Variables: A Potential Source of Laboratory Error
DOI: https://doi.org/10.70357/jdamc.2023.v0701.08
Sadat MN1 , Kabir MA2 , Mandal SK3
Abstract
Clinical laboratories have a great role in the management of patients. To ensure quality test results laboratories need to maintainstandards in all the three phase of total testing process- pre analytical, analytical and post-analytical. With the advancement ofmodern technologies analytical and post-analytical errors have been reduced significantly but pre-analytical errors are stillvery common, which can be as high as 71% of total error rate. This is because; many of the steps in this phase are related tohuman activities and outside of the laboratories that are not under the direct control of laboratory. Pre-analytical errors canoccur during test ordering by the physicians, patient preparation, sample collection, transportation or during processing of thesample. Though most of the errors in this phase remain within the reference limit but 25% can produce erroneous results thatcan affect patient health. In order to minimize errors in this phase it is mandatory to check and identify the sources of pre-analytical errors.
Keywords: Pre-analytical variables, Laboratory error, Interference
- Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry
- Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry
- Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry