What is another common name for multirule QC procedures in a clinical laboratory?
They are popularly known as “Westgard Rules.”
In the Westgard Rules, what does the shorthand ‘N’ represent?
‘N’ represents the number of control measurements within a quality control run.
According to the Westgard Rules, what action should be taken when 8 consecutive control measurements fall on one side of the mean?
This is a violation of the 8x rule, and the run should be rejected.
When three different control materials are analyzed, what does the rule ‘2of32s’ signify?
It signifies that a run should be rejected when 2 out of 3 control measurements exceed the same mean plus 2s or mean minus 2s control limit.
For a situation with three control materials, what is the ’31s’ rule?
Reject the run when 3 consecutive control measurements exceed the same mean plus 1s or mean minus 1s control limit.
When using three control materials, the _____ rule is applied when 6 consecutive control measurements fall on one side of the mean.
6x
What does the ‘7T’ trend rule, which is not part of the Westgard Rules, indicate?
It indicates a rejection when seven consecutive control measurements trend in the same direction (progressively higher or lower).
How are Levey-Jennings charts adapted for manual application of multirule QC?
Lines are drawn on the chart at the mean, as well as at plus/minus 1s, 2s, and 3s.
In QC procedures, what is the term for the probability of false rejection?
Pfr (Probability for false rejection).
What is the term for the probability of error detection in a QC procedure?
Ped (Probability for error detection).
What are the ideal target percentages for error detection (Ped) and false rejections (Pfr) when planning a QC procedure?
Aim for 90% or greater error detection (Ped $\geq$ 0.90) and 5% or less false rejections (Pfr $\leq$ 0.05).
In hematology, what are the three major cell components of blood that are commonly tested?
The three major cell components are red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
What is another name for the Complete Blood Count (CBC) test?
The CBC is also known as the hemogram.
What is hemoglobin?
Hemoglobin is a protein found in red blood cells that is responsible for transporting oxygen.
What is the primary function of white blood cells (WBCs)?
White blood cells are a part of the body’s immune defense system.
What is the term for an increased white blood cell count, often indicating an infection?
Leukocytosis.
What is the term for a decreased white blood cell count, often seen with immunosuppression?
Leukopenia.
What is the normal range for a white blood cell (WBC) count?
The normal range is 4,500 to 10,500 cells per millimeter cubed.
The WBC differential provides the relative proportion of which five types of white blood cells?
Neutrophils, basophils, eosinophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes.
What is the normal proportional range for neutrophils in a WBC differential?
The normal proportional range for neutrophils is 40% to 75%.
What is the normal absolute value range for neutrophils?
The normal absolute value range for neutrophils is 1,500 to 8,000.
Elevated levels of which type of white blood cell are commonly seen in acute infections?
Neutrophils.
What is the normal proportional range for basophils in a WBC differential?
The normal proportional range for basophils is 0% to 2%.
Leukemia, Hodgkin’s disease, and ulcerative colitis can cause elevated levels of which type of white blood cell?
Basophils.
