African Journal of Laboratory Medicine最新文献

{"title":"Strategic site selection for placement of HIV early infant diagnosis point-of-care technology within a national diagnostic network in Lesotho.","authors":"Anafi Mataka,&nbsp;Esther A J Tumbare,&nbsp;Tsietso Motsoane,&nbsp;David Holtzman,&nbsp;Monkoe Leqheka,&nbsp;Kolisang Phatsoane,&nbsp;Emma Sacks,&nbsp;Anthony Isavwa,&nbsp;Appolinaire Tiam","doi":"10.4102/ajlm.v10i1.1156","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/ajlm.v10i1.1156","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>New technologies for rapid point-of-care (POC) diagnostic tests hold great potential for improving the health outcomes of HIV-exposed infants. POC testing for HIV early infant diagnosis (EID) was introduced in Lesotho in late 2016. Here we highlight critical requirements for selecting routine POC EID sites to ensure a sustainable and optimised EID diagnostic network.</p><p><strong>Intervention: </strong>Lesotho introduced POC EID in a phased approach that included assessments of national databases to identify sites with high test volumes, the creation of local networks of sites to potentially increase access to POC EID, and a standardised capacity assessment to determine site readiness. Potential site networks comprising 'hub' testing sites and 'spoke' specimen referring sites were created.</p><p><strong>Lessons learnt: </strong>After determining optimal placement, a total of 29 testing facilities were selected for placement of POC EID to potentially increase access to 189 facilities through the use of a hub-and-spoke model. Site capacity assessments identified vital human resources and infrastructure capacity gaps that needed to be addressed before introducing POC EID and informed appropriate POC platform selection.</p><p><strong>Recommendations: </strong>POC placement involves more than just purchasing the testing platforms. Considering the relatively small proportion of sites that can be eligible for placement of a POC platform, utilising a hub-and-spoke model can maximise the number of health facilities served by a POC platform while reducing the necessary capacity building and infrastructure investments to fewer sites.</p>","PeriodicalId":45412,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Laboratory Medicine","volume":"10 1","pages":"1156"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2021-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8424766/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39419172","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Operational analysis of the national sickle cell screening programme in the Republic of Uganda.","authors":"Arielle G Hernandez,&nbsp;Charles Kiyaga,&nbsp;Thad A Howard,&nbsp;Isaac Ssewanyana,&nbsp;Grace Ndeezi,&nbsp;Jane R Aceng,&nbsp;Russell E Ware","doi":"10.4102/ajlm.v10i1.1303","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/ajlm.v10i1.1303","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Sickle cell anaemia is a common global life-threatening haematological disorder. Most affected births occur in sub-Saharan Africa where children usually go undiagnosed and die early in life. Uganda's national sickle cell screening programme was developed in response to a 2014 sickle cell surveillance study that documented a high disease prevalence.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study describes the temporal and financial aspects of Uganda's 2014-2019 sickle cell screening programme.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>National sickle cell screening data from Uganda's Central Public Health Laboratories were used to calculate turn-around times (TATs) from sample collection to delivery, testing, and result reporting for blood samples collected from February 2014 to March 2019. The parameters affecting specific TATs were assessed. The exact programme expenditures were analysed to determine cost per test and per positive sickle cell disease case detected.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 278 651 samples were analysed. The median TAT from sample collection to laboratory receipt was 8 days (interquartile range [IQR]: 6-12), receipt to testing was 3 days (IQR: 1-7), and testing to result reporting was 6 days (IQR: 3-12). Altogether, the sample continuum averaged 16 days (IQR: 11-24). Lower level healthcare facilities were associated with longer sample delivery TATs. Calendar months (January and December) and larger sample volumes impacted testing and result reporting TATs. The cost per test was $4.46 (United States dollars [USD]) and $483.74 USD per positive case detected.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Uganda's sickle cell screening programme is efficient and cost-effective. Universal newborn screening is the best strategy for detecting sickle cell anaemia in Uganda.</p>","PeriodicalId":45412,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Laboratory Medicine","volume":"10 1","pages":"1303"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2021-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8424771/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39419174","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparison of 24-hour versus random urine samples for determination and quantification of Bence Jones protein in a South African population.","authors":"Ashandree Reddy,&nbsp;Nadine Rapiti,&nbsp;Verena Gounden","doi":"10.4102/ajlm.v10i1.1228","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/ajlm.v10i1.1228","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The International Myeloma Working Group and College of American Pathologists recommend a 24-h urine collection to determine the Bence Jones protein (BJP) excretion level for monitoring treatment response in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). There are several issues related to sample collection and the method is prone to inaccuracy.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study compared measured 24-h to random urine collections for the quantitation of BJP in a South African population.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Sixty-six patients with MM submitted random urine samples with their routine 24-h urine collection from April 2016 - March 2018. Measured 24-h urine BJP was compared to two estimated 24-h BJP excretions calculated as follows: Estimation 1 (E1): Estimated 24-h BJP (mg/24 h) = Urine BJP/Creatinine ratio (mg/mmol) × 10. Estimation 2 (E2): Estimated 24-h BJP (mg/24 h) = Urine BJP/Creatinine ratio (mg/mmol) × 15 mg/kg for women or × 20 mg/kg for men.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Correlation of estimation equations E1 and E2 to the measured 24-h urine BJP was 0.893. Patients showed no difference in classification of treatment response using either the E1 or E2 estimation equations when compared to the measured 24-h urine BJP results.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study demonstrates that the estimated 24-h BJP shows a high degree of correlation with the measured 24-h BJP and can likely be used to monitor treatment response in South African patients with MM.</p>","PeriodicalId":45412,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Laboratory Medicine","volume":"10 1","pages":"1228"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2021-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8424753/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39419173","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Could ante-mortem computed tomography be useful in forensic pathology of traumatic intracranial haemorrhage?","authors":"Mmachuene I Hlahla,&nbsp;Moshibudi J Selatole","doi":"10.4102/ajlm.v10i1.1040","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/ajlm.v10i1.1040","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Imaging techniques have proven valuable in forensic pathology practice, with computed tomography being preferred for forensic use. In the era of virtual autopsy and a low- to middle-income, resource-constrained country, a question arises as to whether ante-mortem computed tomography (ACT) could be cost-effective by reducing the number of invasive autopsies performed.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>The objective of this study was to assess the usefulness of ACT in forensic pathology by examining discrepancy rates between ACT scans and autopsy findings in cases of deceased individuals with traumatic intracranial haemorrhages and assess factors associated with discrepancies.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Eighty-five cases of ACT and autopsy reports from 01 January 2014 to 31 December 2016 from the Polokwane Forensic Pathology Laboratory, South Africa, were analysed retrospectively. Using Cohen's kappa statistics, measures of agreement and resultant discrepancy rates were determined. Also, the discrepancy patterns for each identified factor was also analysed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The discrepancy rate between ACT and autopsy detection of haemorrhage was 24.71% while diagnostic categorisation of haemorrhage was 55.3%. Classification discrepancy was most observed in subarachnoid haemorrhages and least observed in extradural haemorrhages. A markedly reduced level of consciousness, hospital stay beyond two weeks and three or fewer years of doctors' experience contributed to classification discrepancies.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Ante-mortem computed tomography should be used only as an adjunct to autopsy findings. However, the low discrepancy rate seen for extradural haemorrhages implies that ACT may be useful in the forensic diagnosis of extradural haemorrhages.</p>","PeriodicalId":45412,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Laboratory Medicine","volume":"10 1","pages":"1040"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2021-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8335788/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39313681","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cross-validation of a high-performance liquid chromatography nevirapine plasma assay in a resource-limited setting in Zimbabwe.","authors":"Faithful Makita-Chingombe, Anthony T Podany, Timothy Mykris, Farai Muzambi, Richard W Browne, Andrew J Ocque, Robin DiFrancesco, Lee C Winchester, Courtney V Fletcher, Tinashe Mudzviti, Charles C Maponga, Gene D Morse","doi":"10.4102/ajlm.v10i1.1264","DOIUrl":"10.4102/ajlm.v10i1.1264","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>An international HIV pharmacology specialty laboratory (PSL) was established at the University of Zimbabwe to increase bioanalytical and investigator capacities. Quantitation of plasma nevirapine in samples from the AIDS Clinical Trials Group protocol 5279 was compared between the University of Nebraska Medical Center PSL and the University of Zimbabwe PSL. Both PSLs employed internally developed methods utilising reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. Eighty-seven percent of the cross-validation results exhibited ± 20% difference.</p>","PeriodicalId":45412,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Laboratory Medicine","volume":"10 1","pages":"1264"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2021-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8335789/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39313682","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Molecular characterisation of <i>NPM1</i> and <i>FLT3-ITD</i> mutations in a central South African adult <i>de novo</i> acute myeloid leukaemia cohort.","authors":"Jean F Kloppers,&nbsp;André de Kock,&nbsp;Johané Cronjé,&nbsp;Anne-Cecilia van Marle","doi":"10.4102/ajlm.v10i1.1363","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/ajlm.v10i1.1363","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Recognition of molecular abnormalities in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) has improved our understanding of its biology. <i>NPM1</i> and <i>FLT3-</i>ITD mutations are recurrent in AML and clinically significant. <i>NPM1</i> mutations are associated with a favourable prognosis, while <i>FLT3-</i>ITD mutations are an independent poor prognostic factor in AML.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study described the prevalence and molecular characteristics of the <i>NPM1</i> and <i>FLT3-</i>ITD mutations in a newly diagnosed AML patient cohort in central South Africa.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The study included 40 de novo AML patients. An <i>NPM1</i> and <i>FLT3-</i>ITD multiplex polymerase chain reaction assay was optimised to screen patients for the respective mutations and were confirmed using Sanger sequencing. The prevalence of the <i>NPM1</i> and <i>FLT3-</i>ITD mutations were determined, and mutation-specific characteristics were described in relation to patients' demographic information and AML classifications.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The patients' median age was 38.5 years, with 77.5% (<i>n</i> = 31) of patients being self-proclaimed Black Africans. AML with recurrent genetic abnormalities was most prevalent (57.5%; <i>n</i> = 23), of which acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL) was most common (40.0%; <i>n</i> = 16). None of the patients had the <i>NPM1</i> mutation. <i>FLT3-</i>ITD was present in 37.5% (6/16) of APL patients and in one (20.0%) of five AML patients with a t(8;21) translocation. Most patients had an <i>FLT3-</i>ITD allele ratio of ≥ 50% and ITD lengths of > 39 bp.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong><i>FLT3-</i>ITD mutations were mainly found in APL cases at a similar prevalence as reported in the literature. High <i>FLT3-</i>ITD allele ratios and long ITD lengths predominated. No <i>NPM1</i> mutations were detected.</p>","PeriodicalId":45412,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Laboratory Medicine","volume":"10 1","pages":"1363"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2021-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8252134/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39159589","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Maintaining routine HIV and tuberculosis testing services in sub-Saharan African countries in the context of COVID-19: Lessons learnt and opportunities for improvement.","authors":"Collins O Odhiambo,&nbsp;Anafi Mataka,&nbsp;Marguerite Massinga Loembe,&nbsp;Pascale Ondoa","doi":"10.4102/ajlm.v10i1.1413","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/ajlm.v10i1.1413","url":null,"abstract":"Since being declared a public health emergency of international concern on 30 January 2020, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread internationally, reaching the stage of a global pandemic. 1 African countries quickly put in place social and public health measures to limit the spread of the disease, with some of the most ‘visible’ measures being lockdowns, physical distancing and the overall surge of healthcare services to support the COVID-19 response. The Director-General of the World Health Organization, calling for increased testing, recommended ‘test, test, test’ as a critical step to contain the spread of the disease. 2 When the first African case was reported in Egypt in February 2020, only two centres of excellence laboratories on the continent were capable of conducting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 polymerase chain reaction testing, the gold standard assay recommended by the World Health Organization. [...]the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS estimates that there could be hundreds of thousands of extra deaths from HIV if routine services, including HIV screening, viral load and early infant diagnosis, are disrupted. 6 Eighty-five percent of national-level respondents from 61 countries participating in a World Health Organization, United Nations Children’s Fund and Global AIDS Vaccine Initiative poll reported lower vaccination proportions in May 2020 compared to the level in January 2020 – February 2020. Two separate analyses indicated that most HIV and tuberculosis instruments are often operated below their full capacity, 14 , 15 indicating that available instruments in most countries may be sufficient to support both COVID-19 and HIV and/or tuberculosis testing. [...]under the impulse of strong HIV and tuberculosis disease control programmes funded by the United States President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief and the Global Fund, the equipment is used almost exclusively for one disease area due to vertical programming, despite the instruments’ multiplexing capability and the recommendation to ‘integrate’ testing. 16 Additionally, many of the countries who either repurposed HIV and/or tuberculosis equipment for COVID-19 testing or refocused testing still experience challenges in long turn-around times for results, quality assurance and procurement issues, among others, indicating systemic weaknesses that need attention.","PeriodicalId":45412,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Laboratory Medicine","volume":"10 1","pages":"1413"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2021-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8252131/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39159590","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Adaptation of an electronic dashboard to monitor HIV viral load testing in Côte d'Ivoire.","authors":"Mary Kirk,&nbsp;Paul H Assoa,&nbsp;Casey Iiams-Hauser,&nbsp;Yves-Rolland Kouabenan,&nbsp;Jennifer Antilla,&nbsp;Caleb Steele-Lane,&nbsp;Greg Rossum,&nbsp;Pascal Komena,&nbsp;Patricia Sadate Ngatchou,&nbsp;Nadine Abiola,&nbsp;Alain Kouakou,&nbsp;Adama Pongathie,&nbsp;Jean B Koffi,&nbsp;Christiane Adje,&nbsp;Lucy A Perrone","doi":"10.4102/ajlm.v10i1.1284","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/ajlm.v10i1.1284","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The Ministère de le Santé et de l'Hygiène Publique in Côte d'Ivoire and the international community have invested in health information systems in Côte d'Ivoire since 2009, including electronic laboratory information systems. These systems have been implemented in more than 80 laboratories to date and capture all test results produced from these laboratories, including HIV viral load (VL) testing. In 2018 the national HIV programme in Côte d'Ivoire requested international support to develop real-time tools such as dashboards to aggregate and display test-specific data such as HIV VL testing to support the country's programmatic response to HIV.</p><p><strong>Intervention: </strong>The VL dashboard was adapted in 2018 using source software code obtained from the Kenyan Ministry of Health and modified for the Ivorian context. The dashboard enables users to assess relevant clinical data from all Ivoirians living with HIV who undergo VL testing through dashboard data visualisations, including the number of VL tests, kinds of samples tested, and VL levels stratified by demographics and geographic location.</p><p><strong>Lessons learnt: </strong>The VL dashboard enables rapid analysis of VL testing data from across the country and enables the national HIV programme, donors and partners to respond rapidly to issues pertaining to access, turn-around times and others.</p><p><strong>Recommendations: </strong>Adapting existing open-source software is an effective and efficient way to implement transformative tools such as dashboards. The VL dashboard will likely be an essential tool for Côte d'Ivoire to meet the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS 90-90-90 targets.</p>","PeriodicalId":45412,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Laboratory Medicine","volume":"10 1","pages":"1284"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2021-05-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8182557/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39124811","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Improving laboratory quality and capacity through leadership and management training: Lessons from Zambia 2016-2018.","authors":"Felicity Gopolang,&nbsp;Fales Zulu-Mwamba,&nbsp;Davy Nsama,&nbsp;Annika Kruuner,&nbsp;Dailes Nsofwa,&nbsp;Ishmael Kasvosve,&nbsp;Royce Gomo,&nbsp;Tiny Motlhabane,&nbsp;Bhavna Chohan,&nbsp;Olusegun Soge,&nbsp;Daniel Osterhage,&nbsp;Nancy Campbell,&nbsp;Michael Noble,&nbsp;Ann Downer,&nbsp;Jean-Frederic Flandin,&nbsp;Anya Nartker,&nbsp;Catherine Koehn,&nbsp;Linda K Nonde,&nbsp;Aaron Shibemba,&nbsp;Clement B Ndongmo,&nbsp;Martin Steinau,&nbsp;Lucy A Perrone","doi":"10.4102/ajlm.v10i1.1225","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/ajlm.v10i1.1225","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Competent leadership and management are imperative for delivering quality laboratory services; however, few laboratory managers receive job-specific training in organisational management and leadership.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To develop and evaluate participants' competencies in organisational leadership and management as measured through learner and laboratory quality improvement assessments.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This professional development programme employed a mentored, blended learning approach, utilising in-person didactic and online training, with the practical application of a capstone project in the laboratories. Programme impact was evaluated through a series of pre- and post-laboartory assessments using the Stepwise Laboratory Improvement Process Towards Accreditation checklist, as well as learner-competency assessments through online quizzes and discussions.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>From 2016 to 2018, 31 managers and quality officers from 16 individual laboratories graduated from the programme having completed capstone projects addressing areas in the entire laboratory testing process. Laboratories increased their compliance with the International Organization for Standardization 15189 standard and all but two laboratories significantly increased their accreditation scores. Two laboratories gained three stars, two laboratories gained two stars, and five laboratories gained one star. Five laboratories subsequently achieved International Organization for Standardization 15189 accreditation in 2019.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This programme taught leadership theory to laboratory managers and allowed them to implement leadership and management practices in the laboratory setting. Programmes such as this complement existing laboratory quality management training programmes such as Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation.</p>","PeriodicalId":45412,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Laboratory Medicine","volume":"10 1","pages":"1225"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2021-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8111616/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"38996682","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"In-depth investigation of turn-around time of full blood count tests requested from a clinical haematology outpatient department in Cape Town, South Africa.","authors":"Leonard Mutema, Zivanai Chapanduka, Fungai Musaigwa, Nomusa Mashigo","doi":"10.4102/ajlm.v10i1.1318","DOIUrl":"10.4102/ajlm.v10i1.1318","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The performance of laboratories can be objectively assessed using the overall turn-around time (TAT). However, TAT is defined differently by the laboratory and clinicians; therefore, it is important to determine the contribution of all the different components making up the laboratory test cycle.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>We carried out a retrospective analysis of the TAT of full blood count tests requested from the haematology outpatient department at Tygerberg Academic Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa, with an aim to assess laboratory performance and to identify critical steps influencing TAT.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A retrospective audit was carried out, focused on the full blood count tests from the haematology outpatient department within a period of 3 months between 01 February and 30 April 2018. Data was extracted from the National Health Laboratory Service laboratory information system. The time intervals of all the phases of the test cycle were determined and total TAT and within-laboratory (intra-lab) TAT were calculated.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 1176 tests were analysed. The total TAT median was 275 (interquartile range [IQR] 200.0-1537.7) min with the most prolonged phase being from authorisation to review by clinicians (median 114 min; IQR: 37.0-1338.5 min). The median intra-lab TAT was 55 (IQR 40-81) min and 90% of the samples were processed in the laboratory within 134 min of registration.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our findings showed that the intra-lab TAT was within the set internal benchmark of 3 h. Operational phases that were independent of the laboratory processes contributed the most to total TAT.</p>","PeriodicalId":45412,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Laboratory Medicine","volume":"10 1","pages":"1318"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2021-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8111617/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"38996683","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}