Comprehensive Analysis of the Testing Techniques Used in Blood Bank Laboratories in Korea for the Past Six Years

Abstract

Young Ae Lim Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea Background: The results of a particular test can be affected by the techniques used for testing. However, limited data is available on the testing techniques used in blood bank laboratories in Korea. The aim of this study was to evaluate the various testing techniques used in blood bank laboratories using the data obtained during the past six years from the Korean external quality assessment (KEQA) of blood bank laboratories. Methods: Data was collected from all KEQA respondents via the KEQA website on the testing techniques used in blood bank laboratories from 2008 to 2013. The survey included questions on ABO grouping, D typing, crossmatching tests, direct antiglobulin tests (DAT), antibody (Ab) screening, and Ab identification (ID) tests. Results: Based on the data obtained from 2008 to 2013 (ABO grouping data obtained from 2011 to 2013), the most frequently used techniques are as follows: slide agglutination (60.7% and 60.8%) for ABO cell typing; tube agglutination (78.2% and 81.2%) for ABO serum typing; slide agglutination (50% and 54.6%) for D typing; tube agglutination (91.9% and 83.8%) for crossmatching tests; tube agglutination (63.6% and 52.8%) for DAT; column agglutination technique (CAT; 74.5% and 89.4%) for Ab screen; and CAT (83.9% and 94.2%) for Ab ID. Conclusions: The findings reveal a steady increase in the use of CAT from 2008 to 2013 for crossmatching tests, DAT, Ab screen, and Ab ID and a decreasing use of the tube agglutination technique for the past six years. Since the slide agglutination technique accounted for a significant percentage of the tests conducted, further education is warranted on the improvement in the techniques used for ABO and D typing. (J Lab Med Qual Assur 2014;36:23-29)