Manfred Blum, M.D.
New York University Medical Center,
New York, NY, USA
Pierre Carayon, M.D.
Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology,
Marseille, France
Lawrence M. Demers, M.D.
Pennsylvania State School of Medicine,
Hershey PA, USA
John Dunn, M.D.
University of Virginia Health Sciences Center,
Charlottesville, VA, USA
David Endres, Ph.D.,F.A.C.B
University of Southern California,
Los Angeles, CA,USA
Shireen Fatemi, M.D.
Kaiser Permanente of Southern California,
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Timothy Greaves, M.D., F.A.C.P.
LAC-USC Medical Center,
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Tien-Shang Huang, M.D.
College of Medicine, National Taiwan University,
Taiwan
Annie Kung, M.D.
The University of Hong Kong,
Hong Kong
John Lazarus, M.A. M.D., F.R.C.P.
University of Wales College of Medicine,
Cardiff, Wales, UK
Charles Lewis, Jr., Ph.D.
Abbott Laboratories,
Abbott Park, IL, USA
Jon LoPresti, M.D., Ph.D.
University of Southern California,
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Rui Maciel, M.D.
Laboratorio de Endocrinologia Molecular Disciplina de
Endocrinologia,
Sao Paulo, Brasil
Marvin Mitchell, M.D.
University Massachusetts Medical Center, Jamaica Plain, MA, USA
Jean Ruf, M.D.
Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology,
Marseille, France
Gerardo Sartorio, M.D.
Hospital J.M. Ramos Mejia,
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Peter Singer, M.D.
University of Southern California,
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Brad Therrell, Ph.D.
National Newborn Screening and Genetics Resource Center,
Austin, TX, USA
Hidemasa Uchimura, M.D.
Department of Clinical Pathology
Kyorin University, Japan
Bias and imprecision is calculated as percent coefficient of variation [%CV], from the biological variation of the analyte in question (16-18).
W= Suggested goal for maximum bias in diagnostic testing is: (CV2[within-subject] + CV2 [between-subject])1/2 _______________________________________________ 4 |
X= Suggested goal for maximum bias in monitoring an individual is: CV [within-subject] _______________ 4 |
Y= Suggested goal for maximum imprecision in diagnostic testing is: (CV2 [within-subject] + CV2 [between-subject])1/2 ____________________________________________ 2 |
Z= Suggested goal for maximum imprecision for monitoring an individual is: (CV [within-subject]) __________________ 2 |
| Table 4. Bias and Precision Targets for Thyroid Tests | ||||||
| Test | Within- person %CV |
Between-person %CV |
W | X | Y | Z |
| TT4 | 5.3 | 13 | 3.5 | 1.3 | 7.0 | 2.7 |
| FT4 | 9.5 | 12.1 | 3.8 | 2.4 | 7.7 | 4.8 |
| TT3 | 5.6 | 14.8 | 4.0 | 1.4 | 7.9 | 2.8 |
| FT3 | 7.9 | 22.5 | 6.0 | 2.0 | 11.9 | 4.0 |
| Tg | 8.7 | 66.6 | 16.8 | 2.2 | 33.6 | 4.4 |
| TSH | 20.6 | 53.3 | 14.3 | 5.2 | 28.6 | 10.3 |
Australasia -- Australasian Quality Assurance Program, National Testing Center 2nd Floor, National Women's Hospital, Claude Road, Epson, Auckland, New Zealand.
Europe -- Deutsche Genellschaft fur Klinische Chemie eV, Im Muhlenbach 52a, D-53127 Bonn, Germany.
UK -- United Kingdom External Quality Assurance, Wolfson EQA laboratory, PO Box 3909, Birmingham, B15 2UE, UK.
USA -- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 4770 Burford Highway NE, Atlanta, GA 30341-3724, USA.
(The UK NEQAS program has a charge to participants, but for the other two programs there is no charge).