Reference Limits for the Automated Haematology Analyser Sysmex XE-2100

• Reference Limits for the Automated Haematology Analyser Sysmex XE-2100

AUTHOR(S)

Judith Pfaeffli

Spital Interlaken Labor, 3800 Interlaken, Switzerland.

SUMMARY

Reference limits for healthy individuals measured on the Sysmex XE-2100 automated haematology analyser were determined at the Kantonsspital Luzern in order to permit adequate discrimination between health and disease using this analyser. For this, a representative and heterogeneous test group was needed, which fulfilled the following conditions: Firstly, pre-analytical variables for the reference population were considered and controlled with respect to drugs, alcohol, intake of food, physical activity, emotional stress, posture and tourniquet application time. Secondly, all subjects felt healthy and had no known illnesses. Also, the test subjects represented equal number of males and females (88 each) and were between 17 to 100 years of age. The different age groups were represented equally.
In general, the reference limits determined were lower compared to bibliographical references. The reference limit determined for WBC was 1 x 10⁹/L lower than today's accepted limit. However, already, experience from the haematology consultation at the Kantonsspital Luzern suggested a lower reference limit. A number of reasons can be advanced to explain this difference in values. In the future we will now only need to clarify all WBC results which are lower than 2.6 x 10⁹/L. Additionally, we also had the same experience with the HGB results for males. As a result, cost can be reduced with the new reference limits, since some follow-up medical examinations may now be avoided.

KEY WORDS

Automated Hematology Analyzer, XE-2100, Reference Limits

Received 8 May, 2002; Accepted 17 May, 2002