COMPARATIVE STUDY OF HEMATOLOGICAL FINDINGS IN DIFFERENT AUTOMATED HEMATOLOGICAL CELL COUNTERS

Abstract

Automation in hematology has seen not significant advancements in India, with automated and semi-automated blood cell analyzers gaining widespread acceptance. These analyzers provide precision, accuracy, and faster sample processing times compared to manual methods. However, the quality of results largely depends on proper use and regular calibration of the equipment, highlighting the importance of external quality control programs. This study aims to compare the hematological findings across different automated hematology analyzers, specifically evaluating two Hematology Analyzers H 360 & ELite  580 (Erba Transasia). H 360 employs impedance technology and Elite 580 machines utilize impedance and flow cytometry technologies to produce 25 reportable parameters, including a 5-part differential.Method comparison and result correlation between different analyzers are critical before clinical application. Statistical variations in parameters such as differential monocyte, eosinophil, lymphocyte counts, and RBC indices are often observed across analyzers, potentially affecting clinical decision-making. Our study reveals no significant differences in parameters such as WBC count, monocyte and eosinophil counts, lymphocytes, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), hematocrit, and platelet indices (RDW-CV, RDW-SD, MPV, P-LCR, PLCC) between the two analyzers. These findings emphasize the need for rigorous validation and quality control in automated hematology to ensure clinical relevance and consistency.

Result: The comparison between Machine 1 (H 360) and Machine 2 (Elite 580) revealed no any significant differences in several hematological parameters. WBC counts were  not significantly lower in Machine 2 (p = 0.321), as were hematocrit (HCT) (p = 0.321) and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) (p = 0.341). Lymphocyte (DLC-L), eosinophil (DLC-E), and monocyte (DLC-M) counts also showed no not significant variations (p > 0.05). Platelet indices, including MPV, PDW-SD, and P-LCC, showed notable differences (p > 0.05), while platelet counts themselves (PLT) were not not significantly different (p = 0.089). These findings highlight key statistical variations between the machines, which may affect clinical interpretation.