Pneumatic transportation systems (PTS) are used for sample transportation to ensure faster turn-around-times. This transportation form can however cause preanalytical changes in the samples, especially haemolysis, and it must therefore be controlled and surveyed. In order to elucidate the use and quality control (QC) of PTS in the Nordic countries, a survey was conducted in 2018 and 2024. A questionnaire was constructed using Webropol based on the CLSI document H18-A4 on handling and processing of blood specimens. It was distributed electronically in 2018 to all Nordic biochemistry laboratories through the National societies of clinical biochemistry. Due to Covid-19, the results were unfortunately not handled timely, and a follow-up questionnaire was therefore distributed in 2024. In 2018, 85 laboratories replied, while 30 laboratories replied in 2024. In 2018, 24% of the transportation lines ended either directly on the analysis track or in a bulk sorter connected to the track, while in 2024, 59% ended directly on the analysis track. In 2018, 69% had validated their PTS, mostly using haemolysis index (32%), while in 2024, 88% had validated their PTS with 87% using haemolysis index. In 2024, only 10% used internal QC for their PTS, while just 24% had entered an external quality assessment program, which was unavailable in 2018. Despite a promising development in PTS validation and quality control, several necessary actions are needed when samples are delivered via PTS. The Nordic preanalytical scientific working group has listed recommendations that should be adopted to ensure sample quality.
Pelanti et al. (Thu,) studied this question.
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