Automation Reagent Controls

[RR1]

I am interested in knowing how often and what ABO and screen reagent controls labs are running on different analysers used. Are manufacturers supplying/ recommending the control reagents to use- and is this a formal statement given by them ...or just a passing remark.

When we look at how Haem/ Biochem analysers are used- control reagents are all supplied as part of the set-up, these are not produced in-house.

Thanks

[bxcall1]

I use a ProVue. We use seven controls made here. A positive and negative for each card we use. We use old patient specimens adding anti D to an O neg for a pos antibody screen and some anti D to an O pos for the positive DAT. This was based on the recommendation of the Ortho BB Technical Specialist who did the 'in-house' training for us.

[RR1]

Thanks- we currently use our National Blood Service produced Aneg and B+ controls that have weak anti-D and Anti-K antibodies respectively. Additionally we use weak anti-K, -Fya, -S run twice a day for our antibody screens (Solid phase).

The manufacturers should recommend controls to use- and give this in writing, otherwise when these controls fail to work- you would get a response- probably from most manufactureres that your controls were not correct for the set-up ie wrong antibody subclass etc...you would have to justify your testing regime.

It is expensive buying control material- but as we need assure ourselves (and everyone else- if there is a failure to interpret groups or detect antibodies ) that the testing is being performed optimally, this is the only real option.

[marvy1]

We are getting ready to go live with the Immucor Echo. The instrument will not run Type and Screens unless their proprietary WBCor QC controls are run daily (once every 24 hours)

[Eagle Eye]

We have ProVue. We run A Neg, B Pos patient specimen. We buy Ortho confidence kit for tube QC so we dilute conficence 1:10 and use it as positive and saline as negative antibody screen. We take O pos donor segments and anti-D, take O neg donor segments and run as Pos & Neg control for MTS 2(we run a DAT on it).

We prepare kit every Monday. We validated kit in house and our kit was good for 10 days. We have a form we document lot# and expiration date, and donor numbers used to prepare kit.

[Dar]

Would you care to share your SOP???