Discrepancies in the calibration of reaction rate analysers
1980

Discrepancies in the Calibration of Reaction Rate Analysers

Sample size: 20 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): E. F. Legg, J. D. Cooper, M. R. Holland, J. Willis

Primary Institution: East Birmingham Hospital, Birmingham, England

Hypothesis

What factors are responsible for discrepancies between two LKB reaction rate analysers?

Conclusion

The study identified calibration differences and proposed a new calibration method to improve inter-laboratory agreement.

Supporting Evidence

  • Calibration differences were not related to reagent concentrations.
  • A 5 nm difference in peak absorbances of filters accounted for nearly 5% of the discrepancy.
  • Enzyme activities calculated using different absorbance scales showed consistent differences.
  • Electronic calibration improved the agreement between the two analysers.

Takeaway

The study found that two machines measuring the same thing were giving different results, and they figured out why and how to fix it.

Methodology

The study involved comparing enzyme activity measurements from two different reaction rate analysers and investigating calibration methods.

Potential Biases

Potential bias from the calibration methods used and the specific instruments tested.

Limitations

The study may not account for all potential sources of error in enzyme activity measurements.

Statistical Information

P-Value

<0.001

Statistical Significance

p<0.001

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