**Acknowledgements**

*Biochemical Testing - Clinical correlation and Diagnosis*

• **Malnutrition:** Decreased albumin levels [1].

(measure of precision) and accuracy (measure of trueness).

processed before a patient sample is taken up for processing.

**5. Reporting of results and its standardization**

a standardized format of reporting SPE.

observed.

region.

that specific sample.

**4.2 Quality assurance in SPE**

is a characteristic feature. In addition, polyclonal hypogammaglobinemia is

• **Hemolysis:** Altered electrophoretic pattern of small indistinct peaks in alpha-2

Quality assurance in SPE is an essential prerequisite to ensure reliability of an SPE result [2]. There are two major aspects of analytical quality including precision

Good clinical laboratory practices demand processing of an internal quality control (IQC) for assessment of precision and external quality assurance (EQA)/ proficiency testing (PT testing) for accuracy assessment. IQC is a material which can be prepared in house (patient sample) or available commercially and is to be

The clinical laboratory has its responsibility to select and use an IQC which has a matrix comparable to patient sample, preferably covering the clinical decision point (cut off value that differentiates between a normal and abnormal result). EQA is an external assessment of the analytical quality wherein the laboratory processes a blinded sample and the results are compared against a reference method and/or against the consensus value of other participant laboratories for

The laboratory has to hold responsibility in selecting a suitable EQA provider who shall preferably be accredited to ISO 17043. If an EQA program is not available, the laboratories shall participate in exchange of samples with referral laboratories

Reporting SPE requires interpretation of the electrophoretic pattern which is followed by comments of such an interpretation along with the piece of advice to the clinician if indicated. There is a big lacuna in the format of reporting of SPE, each laboratorian using his/her own means of interpreting and communicating. It is the need of the hour to have a standardized format of reporting SPE for ensuring patient safety and clinician follow-up. There are no international guidelines, though the working party on standardized reporting of protein electrophoresis which is an initiative of the Australasian Association of Clinical Biochemists has come out with

In the current scenario, it becomes the responsibility of each and every laboratory to ensure that all relevant information is available in a SPE report, easily read, understood, and interpreted by a clinician. This becomes the core of a clinical laboratory

with a similar methodology and a comparable quality of testing standard.

• **Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency**: Inflammatory condition, pregnancy.

**10**

practice.

**6. Conclusion**

We would wish to acknowledge and thank the management of MIOT hospitals for providing us with the infrastructure and technology to explore, learn, and contribute to our patients' well-being.

We would wish to thank our technical staff, Mr. Mathivanan Durairaj, and his team for their invaluable contribution by sharing clinical cases.

We wish to acknowledge Trivitron technologies for their valuable support in installation and continual service and application support for Sebia CZE.
