Let us continue our discussion about some basic aspects of path lab testing with this article. Why do results vary between two different labs? A common question asked by patients who keep on shifting between labs to do their tests is: I got the same analyte tested from two different labs and the actual values have come out to be different.
Why so? If I am asked this question the first thing that I do is to ensure that apples are compared with apples and not oranges. This I do by taking a careful look at: - What analyte is the patient complaining about: most common mistakes are comparing results of: free T3/ free T4 with results of Total T3 / Total T4 GHB with HbA1c - Is there difference in the method used to evaluate the analytes: most common mistakes are comparing: Alkaline phosphatase done by one method with that done by another method LDL…
