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Abstract
Haematological analysis of white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets is used to aid diagnosis and treatment. Although most laboratories aim to analyse haematology samples on the day of collection, this is not always possible, particularly when the laboratory is remote from the patient. The integrity of a haematological sample is known to depend on time and temperature: measurement technique has already been found to have an impact on stability. This study aims to evaluate whether or not the type of EDTA specimen tube affects the stability, and the effect on stability using two commonly used blood collection systems (Becton Dickinson Vacutainers and Sarstedt Monovettes). Blood was drawn from 20 volunteers and stored refrigerated. Haematological analysis was conducted on a Beckman Coulter LH750 haematology analyser at multiple time points up to 72 h. The results were examined using analysis of variance (ANOVA), to look for imprecision both within-run and between run. Stability assessment was performed using an in-house method based on the manufacturer’s stated precision limits. An analyte was classed as unstable when the cumulative SD/CV exceeded the precision limits of that assay. The method used to assess stability was found to provide robust stability information that matched data provided by the manufacturer and other researchers. Accurate full blood count results can be obtained on samples up to 48 h, provided that the samples are stored in a refrigerator. The tube type was found to have minimal impact on the stability of haematological samples.