8 COMPACT ANALYSIS SYSTEMS EVALUATED FOR MEASURING TOTAL CHOLESTEROL

We examined the analytical performance of eight compact systems for me asuring total cholesterol: AccuMeter, Cobas Ready, Discovery f2, DT60, L-D-X, Reflotron, QCA, and Vision, We determined average bias at two decision levels, the mean absolute bias, and the percentage of results differing from the comparison method results by >8.9% allowable total error limit for multiple reagent lots. Average bias was <3% for all l ots tested for AccuMeter, Discovery f2, and DT60, but >3% for one or m ore lots or sample types tested with the other systems. Of results fro m each reagent lot, >95% were within the 8.9% total error specificatio ns with Discovery f2, DT60, and QCA, whereas the performance of L-D-X, Vision, and Reflotron depended on reagent lot and (or) sample type. O f all results from each lot tested with AccuMeter and Cobas Ready, >5% exceeded the total allowable error limit. We determined imprecision f or five systems: Cobas Ready, Discovery f2, and QCA had CVs <3%, where as CVs for AccuMeter and L-D-X were >3% but <5%.