Performance Evaluation of Fully Automated Reticulocyte Count As A Validated Method In Comparison with Manual Count In Neonates

Usman Tahir Swati; Asad Mahmood; Saima Zahir; Manzar Bozdar; Sadia Ali; Tanweer Ahmed

doi:10.51253/pafmj.v75iSUPPL-6.8010

Authors

Usman Tahir Swati Department of Haematology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Rawalpindi Pakistan
Asad Mahmood Department of Haematology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Rawalpindi Pakistan
Saima Zahir Department of Haematology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Rawalpindi Pakistan
Manzar Bozdar Department of Haematology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Rawalpindi Pakistan
Sadia Ali Department of Haematology, Combined Military Hospital Risalpur /National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Rawalpindi Pakistan
Tanweer Ahmed Department of Haematology, Combined Military Hospital Lahore/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Rawalpindi Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51253/pafmj.v75iSUPPL-6.8010

Keywords:

Reticulocyte count, Automation, Haematology analyzers.

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the performance of fully automated reticulocyte count as a validated method in comparison with manual count in neonates.

Study Design: cross-sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Haematology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP), from July 2020 to December 2020.

Methodology: 103 healthy neonates of either gender were selected using non-probability convenience sampling. Venous blood of the participants was collected and reticulocyte count was determined using both manual count as well as Sysmex XN-3000 Automated Haematology Analyzer. The data was recorded, tabulated and processed to ascertain the degree of correlation and agreement between the two methods using Linear Regression Analysis and Bland-Altman plot respectively.

Results: The mean age of participants was 14 days. Out of the total of 103 participants, gender-wise distribution was 55(53%) males and 48(47%) females. The mean manual reticulocyte count was 2.0+1.1% and automated reticulocyte count was 2.0+ 1.0%. The two sets of data showed good correlation with a coefficient of correlation (r) of 0.97. The mean bias of data was 0.002 with good agreement as all recorded data points fell between upper and lower limits of agreement.

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that automated haematology analyzers can offer a high-throughput method of determining reticulocyte count with an adequately close agreement of results to the well-established manual method.

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