Scheme Information Sheets
UK NEQAS for Fluids
| Scheme Particulars | Indicative Details |
|---|---|
| Accreditation body | UKAS |
| ISO/IEC Accreditation status | ISO/IEC 17043:2023 |
| UKAS Accredited Proficiency Testing Provider No | 7860 |
| Objective of Scheme | Provides EQA coverage and analytical assessment for a number of clinical chemistry analytes in both pleural fuid and ascitic fluid matrices. Genuine fluid is used in this scheme with very minimal manipulation. This may sometimes limit the coverage of concentrations for all analytes, but the objective is to build up good quality data for the analytical performance of fluid matrices. Often there has been very little validation of analytes in fluid matrices, therefore our aim is to use as many different donations of pleural and ascitic fluid to fully test laboratory systems. We ask for Indices to be measured on all specimens as we are building up a library of data with corresponding index result. There is currently no information available on the impact of 'different colours' of fluid on the analytical performance of spectrophotometric assays |
| Pre-, Analytical, Post- status | Analytical |
| Number of distributions per year (nominal) | 11 (Approximately 50% Pleural Fluid and 50% Ascitic Fluid) |
| Specimens per distribution | 3 |
| Number of Specimens per annum | 33 |
| Frequency of distribution | Monthly |
| Scoring system | ABC |
| Material distributed | Clinical Material |
| Programme Director(s) / Organiser(s) | Rachel Marrington |
| Criteria for participation | All, but overseas by courier |
| Nominal sample volume (mL) | 0.5 |
| Sample presentation TACs | All analytes in the same tube |
| Data in Chemistry on-line Dashboard | Yes |
| Analyte | Approx Range | Default Units | Target Value | B Score Limit (%) | C Score Limit (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albumin | 0 – 40 | g/L | GLTM | 15.0 | 20.0 |
| Amylase | 0 – 100 | U/L | GLTM | 15.0 | 10.0 |
| Bilirubin | 0 – 20 | µmol/L | ALTM | 25.0 | 30.0 |
| Creatinine | 0 – 250 | µmol/L | OGLTM | 15.0 | 20.0 |
| Fluid Haemolysis Category | Concentration the same as Haemolysis Index | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Fluid Haemolysis Index | 0 – 5 | g/L | MLTM | ~ | ~ |
| Fluid Icterus Category | Concentration the same as Icterus Index | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Fluid Icterus Index | 0 – 100 | µmol/L | MLTM | ~ | ~ |
| Fluid Lipaemia Category | Concentration the same as Lipaemia Index | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ |
| Fluid Lipaemia Index | 0 – 5 | mmol/L | MLTM | ~ | ~ |
| Glucose | 0 – 25 | mmol/L | ALTM | 5.0 | 6.0 |
| Lactate | 0 – 6 | mmol/L | ALTM | 7.5 | 7.5 |
| LDH | 0 – 300 | U/L | GLTM | 15.0 | 25.0 |
| Lipase | 0 – 100 | U/L | GLTM | 15.0 | 25.0 |
| pH | 6 – 9 | pH | MED | ~ | ~ |
| Total Cholesterol | 0 – 5 | mmol/L | ALTM | 15.0 | 20.0 |
| Total Protein | 0 – 60 | g/L | ALTM | 10.0 | 15.0 |
| Triglyceride | 0 – 5 | mmol/L | ALTM | 10.0 | 15.0 |
| Urea | 0 – 40 | mmol/L | ALTM | 5.0 | 7.5 |
| Abbreviation | Expansion |
|---|---|
| ALTM | All Laboratory Trimmed Mean |
| GLTM | Group Laboratory Trimmed Mean – which is the Method Principle Mean |
| MLTM | Method Laboratory Trimmed Mean – usually a manufacturer system / analyser mean |
| XALTM | An external value that may be from a Reference Method System |
| OGLTM | A Method Principle Mean used as the target for all laboratories |
| OMLTM | A specific Method Mean used as a target for all laboratories |
| MED | Median |
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