In Vitro and In Vivo Hemolysis: An Unresolved Dispute in Laboratory Medicine (Patient Safety Book 4)

Defined as red blood cell break down and the release of hemoglobin and intracellular contents into the plasma, hemolysis can seriously impact patient care as well as the laboratory's reputation through its affect on test results. Therefore, the European Preanalytical Scientific Committee, in collaboration with the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry Working Group on Patient Safety, have designed a questionnaire to collect data on prevalence and management of hemolytic specimens referred to the clinical laboratories for clinical chemistry testing. This book will help identify the areas where hemolysis occurs most frequently, which can, in turn, guide further analysis about why it is occurring. Once these elements are known, practices and procedures can be implemented to dramatically reduce hemolysis and avoid erroneous laboratory results affecting patient care and increasing laboratory costs. * Introduces clinically relevant findings about hemolysis * Indicates possible laboratory errors caused by hemolysis * Covers management of hemolytic specimens Preface 1 Structure and function of red blood cells 2 Red blood cell parameters 2.1 Hematocrit 2.2 Mean corpuscular volume 2.3 Mean corpuscular hemoglobin 2.4 Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration 2.5 Red blood cell distribution width 3 Definition of hemolysis 4 Prevalence of hemolyzed specimens in clinical laboratories 5 In vivo hemolysis 5.1 Causes 5.2 Clinical presentation 5.3 Diagnosis of hemolytic anemia 6 In vitro hemolysis 6.1 Unsuitable procedures during blood collection 6.2 Blood collection with various devices and needles 6.3 Sample transportation and storage 6.4 Centrifugation of the specimen 7 How to distinguish in vivo versus in vitro hemolysis 8 Effects of in vitro hemolysis on laboratory testing 8.1 Interference in clinical chemistry testing 8.2 Interference in hemostasis testing 8.3 Interference in immunoassays and electrophoresis 8.4 Interference in ABO type and antibody screen testing 9 Spurious hemolysis and veterinary medicine 9.1 Blood collection from small animals and pets 9.2 Interference of hemolysis in veterinary laboratory medicine 10 Detection of hemolyzed specimens 11 Management of hemolyzed specimens 11.1 Local evaluation of the bias 11.2 Surveys and recommendations 11.3 General indications for preventing hemolysis during blood collection 11.4 Preventing hemolysis from intravenous catheters 11.5 Reliable identification of hemolyzed specimens 11.6 Management of test results on hemolyzed specimens 12 The challenge of synthetic blood substitutes 12.1 Individual studies evaluating the interference of blood substitutes 12.2 Detection and quantification of blood substitutes 12.3 Final remarks on blood substitutes References Index

Defined as red blood cell break down and the release of hemoglobin and intracellular contents into the plasma, hemolysis can seriously impact patient care as well as the laboratory's reputation through its affect on test results. Therefore, the European Preanalytical Scientific Committee, in collaboration with the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry Working Group on Patient Safety, have designed a questionnaire to collect data on prevalence and management of hemolytic specimens referred to the clinical laboratories for clinical chemistry testing. This book will help identify the areas where hemolysis occurs most frequently, which can, in turn, guide further analysis about why it is occurring. Once these elements are known, practices and procedures can be implemented to dramatically reduce hemolysis and avoid erroneous laboratory results affecting patient care and increasing laboratory costs.

Defined as red blood cell break down and the release of hemoglobin and intracellular contents into the plasma, hemolysis can seriously impact patient care as well as the laboratory's reputation through its affect on test results. Therefore, the European Preanalytical Scientific Committee, in collaboration with the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry Working Group on Patient Safety, have designed a questionnaire to collect data on prevalence and management of hemolytic specimens referred to the clinical laboratories for clinical chemistry testing. This book will help identify the areas where hemolysis occurs most frequently, which can, in turn, guide further analysis about why it is occurring. Once these elements are known, practices and procedures can be implemented to dramatically reduce hemolysis and avoid erroneous laboratory results affecting patient care and increasing laboratory costs. Giuseppe Lippi and Gianfranco Cervellin, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Parma, Italy;Emmanuel J. Favaloro, Westmead Hospital, Australia; Mario Plebani, Università degli Studi di Padova, Padua, Italy Defined as red blood cell break down and the release of hemoglobin and intracellular contents into the plasma, hemolysis can seriously impact patient care as well as the laboratory's reputation through its affect on test results. Therefore, the European Preanalytical Scientific Committee, in collaboration with the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry Working Group on Patient Safety, have designed a questionnaire to collect data on prevalence and management of hemolytic specimens referred to the clinical laboratories for clinical chemistry testing. This book will help identify the areas where hemolysis occurs most frequently, which can, in turn, guide further analysis about why it is occurring. Once these elements are known, practices and procedures can be implemented to dramatically reduce hemolysis and avoid erroneous laboratory results affecting patient care and increasing laboratory costs. --Book Jacket Definition of hemolysis Causes of hemolysis Prevalence of hemolytic specimens Interference of hemolysis on laboratory testing Detection of hemolytic specimens Management of hemolytic specimens.