Hi Peadar,
Thanks for taking the time to prepare this article; excellent summation. I would also recommend that, instead of the reporting less than with an explanatory comment, all "less than results" be reported as "not detected" with the method detection limit given on the report. Of course this would create a great deal of excitement in the LIS world but it would all worth it in the end, as you correctly illustrated in your stories. Not a big deal for us lab folk because all our quantitative methods are supposed to have known or established analytical and/or functional sensitivities.
Another topic you might want to give some thought to is reporting Reference Intervals as follows:
up to X
0 - X
< X
</= X
All are quite common in our business and can often cause some serious problems in results interpretation. I would very much appreciate your thoughts on this one.
Regards,
Godfrey Moses
Dr. Godfrey C. Moses
Laboratory Director
Gamma-Dynacare Medical Laboratories
245 Pall Mall Street
London, ON
N6A 1P4
Phone: 800-265-5946 ext 1231
Fax: 519-640-1225
Email: [log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: Clinical biochemistry discussion list
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Peadar McGing
Sent: Wednesday, July 04, 2007 6:53 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: re responses to dangers of 'less than'
Dear colleagues,
Thanks to all who responded to my request for stories I could use in the
article I was writing (on the dangers of misinterpretation of results less
than the lower limit of detection of our assays). The replies included a few
stories that I was able to use and I have replied directly to thank those
individuals.
In general there was a good deal of interest in the whole topic, with many
respondents expressing the view that this issue was not thought about
enough. In respect of possible comments to add to such results the consensus
view was that 'not detected' was best.
There were a good few people who asked to see the final article so for
anyone interested a link to the internet version is given below.
http://www.imn.ie/articles.asp?Category=news&ArticleID=19021
Thanks again for all the help from mailbase users.
Peadar.
Dr Peadar McGing, MRCPath EurClinChem,
Principal Biochemist,
Biochemistry Dept., Mater Misericordiae University Hospital,
Eccles Street, Dublin 7, Ireland.
Tel: (+353 1)8032080; Fax: (+353 1)8034781.
----------------------------Disclaimer--------------------------------------
This e-mail and any files transmitted with it contain information which
may be confidential and which may also be privileged and is intended solely
for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed. Unless you
are the intended recipient you may not copy or use it, or disclose it to
anyone else. Any opinions expressed are that of the individual and not
necessarily that of Mater Misericordiae University Hospital.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
------ACB discussion List Information--------
This is an open discussion list for the academic and clinical
community working in clinical biochemistry.
Please note, archived messages are public and can be viewed
via the internet. Views expressed are those of the individual and
they are responsible for all message content.
ACB Web Site
http://www.acb.org.uk
List Archives
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/ACB-CLIN-CHEM-GEN.html
List Instructions (How to leave etc.)
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/
************************************************************************
This message, including any attachments, is privileged and may contain confidential information intended only for the person(s) named above. Any other distribution, copying or disclosure is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient or have received this message in error, please notify us immediately by reply email and permanently delete the original transmission from us, including any attachments, without making a copy.
Thank you.
************************************************************************
------ACB discussion List Information--------
This is an open discussion list for the academic and clinical
community working in clinical biochemistry.
Please note, archived messages are public and can be viewed
via the internet. Views expressed are those of the individual and
they are responsible for all message content.
ACB Web Site
http://www.acb.org.uk
List Archives
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/ACB-CLIN-CHEM-GEN.html
List Instructions (How to leave etc.)
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/
|