{Reference Type}: Journal Article
{Title}: Time-of-day dependence of running averages for some components of metabolic panels at our hospital: Relation to strategy for patient-based quality control.
{Author}: Karaseva AO;Stickle DF;
{Journal}: Clin Chim Acta
{Volume}: 558
{Issue}: 0
{Year}: 2024 May 15
{Factor}: 6.314
{DOI}: 10.1016/j.cca.2024.119667
{Abstract}: <B>OBJECTIVE: </B>We assessed properties of running averages for our hospital's most common chemistry analytes, for use in real-time patient-based quality control (PBQC). We determined whether there was dependence of any running averages on 24-h clock time (time-of-day, TOD).<BR><B>METHODS: </B>We analyzed 3-months' data for measurements of 13 metabolic panel components. Running averages for 20 consecutive results (20-mers) were computed for data restricted to results within reference intervals. This produced an overall mean (X) and standard-deviation (SD) of 20-mers for each analyte. We then computed the average 20-mer result (Y) reported within 1-h bins across 24-hour clock time (t). Y(t) was regarded as having TOD-dependence if either nadir or apex values for |Y-X| exceeded 0.5 SD, occurring within a contiguous series of at least 4 Y(t) values on one side of the mean.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>Seven analytes (albumin, aspartate aminotransferase, calcium, chloride, CO2, potassium, total protein) demonstrated TOD-dependence of running means for 20-mers.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>At our hospital, TOD-dependence of running means was identified for 7 of 13 metabolic panel analytes. TOD-dependence is likely to be hospital-specific. Utilization of TOD-dependent targets for PBQC, rather than fixed targets, would be appropriate in these cases.