Currently my facility is using PEG for screens and antibody ID. We want to go to LISS. We are finishing up our validation study and of course the LISS is not as sensitive as PEG. Our Medical Director was not happy with the % of sensitivity and specificity that I was using. I must admit I used the % that was used for another similar study. Here is my question, am I barking up the wrong tree looking at the % of sensitivity and specificity? I already know LISS will be lower than PEG. Should I be looking at the Predictive Values and Efficiency of the test rather than comparing the two out right? I am so frustrated at this point any and all help would be greatly appreciated. I am ready to switch my reagents I just need to get this issue solved.

You need the comfort level of being able to detect (identify?) sensitization in your patients. Obviously you are not going to detect Peg weakly positive specimens with LISS . . . that is the trade off. Are you looking at commericial LISS products (Immuadd/AES/Biosite) or just going with generic LISS in place of saline? If going with manufactured products, I would evaluate a few manufacurer's products - they are not all created equal. Quotient Biodiagnostics also has a LISS product available and Hemobioscience too.

We are actually going with Bio-Rad reagent.