Performance characteristics of Bull's multirule algorithm for the quality control of multichannel hematology analyzers. 1987

E S Lunetzky, and G S Cembrowski
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.

The multirule quality control procedure for interpreting Bull's moving averages, proposed by Levy and colleagues (Am J Clin Pathol 1986; 85: 719-721.), has been evaluated by computer simulation with the use of the approach of Cembrowski and Westgard (Am J Clin Pathol 1985; 83: 337-345.). With this procedure, a batch of patient specimens is rejected if either of two criteria are satisfied: (1) the Bull's mean of one of the red blood cell indices is outside its 3% limits, or (2) the average of three consecutive Bull's means is outside its 2% limits. Power function curves were used to summarize the performance of the multirule approach and demonstrated error-detection capabilities that are superior to the more common implementation of Bull's algorithm using 3% limits for single Bull's means. The increased error detection achieved by the multirule procedure allows shifts in hemoglobin and mean corpuscular volume to be more readily detected but also results in the detection of small shifts in red blood cell count. A modified multirule procedure was also tested and was found to be ineffective. The authors recommend the multirule of Levy and colleagues but caution that its use may result in the detection of small shifts in the red blood cell count.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009994 Osmolar Concentration The concentration of osmotically active particles in solution expressed in terms of osmoles of solute per liter of solution. Osmolality is expressed in terms of osmoles of solute per kilogram of solvent. Ionic Strength,Osmolality,Osmolarity,Concentration, Osmolar,Concentrations, Osmolar,Ionic Strengths,Osmolalities,Osmolar Concentrations,Osmolarities,Strength, Ionic,Strengths, Ionic
D011786 Quality Control A system for verifying and maintaining a desired level of quality in a product or process by careful planning, use of proper equipment, continued inspection, and corrective action as required. (Random House Unabridged Dictionary, 2d ed) Control, Quality,Controls, Quality,Quality Controls
D003198 Computer Simulation Computer-based representation of physical systems and phenomena such as chemical processes. Computational Modeling,Computational Modelling,Computer Models,In silico Modeling,In silico Models,In silico Simulation,Models, Computer,Computerized Models,Computer Model,Computer Simulations,Computerized Model,In silico Model,Model, Computer,Model, Computerized,Model, In silico,Modeling, Computational,Modeling, In silico,Modelling, Computational,Simulation, Computer,Simulation, In silico,Simulations, Computer
D004909 Erythrocyte Indices ERYTHROCYTE size and HEMOGLOBIN content or concentration, usually derived from ERYTHROCYTE COUNT; BLOOD hemoglobin concentration; and HEMATOCRIT. The indices include the mean corpuscular volume (MCV), the mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), and the mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC). Erythrocyte Hemoglobin, Mean Cell,Erythrocyte Size Determination,Erythrocyte Volume, Mean Cell,Hemoglobin, Erythrocyte, Mean Cell,Mean Corpuscular Volume,Red Cell Indices,Erythrocyte Diameter,Erythrocyte Index,Erythrocyte Indexes,Erythrocyte Thickness,Mean Cell Hemoglobin Concentration,Mean Cell Volume,Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin,Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobulin Concentration,Red Cell Distribution Width,Red Cell Index,Red Cell Indexes,Cell Volumes, Mean,Corpuscular Volumes, Mean,Determination, Erythrocyte Size,Determinations, Erythrocyte Size,Diameter, Erythrocyte,Diameters, Erythrocyte,Erythrocyte Diameters,Erythrocyte Size Determinations,Hemoglobin, Mean Corpuscular,Hemoglobins, Mean Corpuscular,Index, Erythrocyte,Index, Red Cell,Indexes, Erythrocyte,Indexes, Red Cell,Indices, Erythrocyte,Indices, Red Cell,Mean Cell Volumes,Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobins,Mean Corpuscular Volumes,Size Determination, Erythrocyte,Size Determinations, Erythrocyte,Thickness, Erythrocyte,Volume, Mean Cell,Volume, Mean Corpuscular,Volumes, Mean Cell,Volumes, Mean Corpuscular
D006405 Hematology A subspecialty of internal medicine concerned with morphology, physiology, and pathology of the blood and blood-forming tissues.
D006454 Hemoglobins The oxygen-carrying proteins of ERYTHROCYTES. They are found in all vertebrates and some invertebrates. The number of globin subunits in the hemoglobin quaternary structure differs between species. Structures range from monomeric to a variety of multimeric arrangements. Eryhem,Ferrous Hemoglobin,Hemoglobin,Hemoglobin, Ferrous
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000465 Algorithms A procedure consisting of a sequence of algebraic formulas and/or logical steps to calculate or determine a given task. Algorithm

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