Summary
Currently cytomorphological blood smear in Lithuania’s Vilnius University hospital Santaros Clinics (VUH SK) is performed by the order of patient’s physician. In Lithuania no research has been carried out to assess applicability and usage of the automated complete blood count (CBC) review criteria. Therefore, this first of a kind research is aiming to evaluate rationality of blood smear testing by order of physician versus international automated CBC review criteria system in various VUH SK departments. The study included 7977 patients’ CBC’s and in 925 cases of those cytomorphological blood smear testing was ordered by physician. In addition 240 patients’ cytomorphological blood smear testing data from the Intensive care units (ICU) and hematology-oncology outpatient departments were analysed separately and compared to the results generated in General Therapy unit. It was found that the 2005 CBC review criteria system of International Society for Laboratory Hematology generates rather large number of false-negative and false-positive CBC results, while the 2002 CBC review criteria system is more suitable for VUH SK’s General Therapy and ICU departments. Meanwhile there was no difference in application of 2002 and 2005 CBC review criteria in the hematology-oncology outpatient department. It was found that the least false-positive and false-negative results were obtained using both, quantitative and qualitative CBC review criteria. All laboratories should carry out an analysis of automated CBC review criteria for its unique patient population and adjust CBC review rules to their laboratory situation.
