1 – Program overview

This external quality assessment program is designed for the quantitative assessment of CBC analytes (complete count, leukocyte counts and reticulocytes) with an interlaboratory comparison by peer group.

The sample is a patient blood sample.

Program limited to metropolitan France, Corsica excluded.

2 – Assessment frequency

Number of surveys per year: 4
Number of control samples per survey: 1
Number of samples per year: 4

3 – List of analytes assessed

CBC:

• Leukocytes (analyser and microscope)
• RBC (impedance and optical)
• Haemoglobin
• Haematocrit
• MCV
• RBC most frequent volume (R-MFV)
• MCH (impedance and optical)
• MCHC
• RDW
• Platelets (impedance, optical, fluorescence and microscope)
• MPV
• Immature platelet fraction (IPF)
• Erythroblasts (analyser and microscope)*

Leukocyte differential (analyser and microscope):

• Neutrophils (in % and absolute value)
• Eosinophils (in % and absolute value)
• Basophils (in % and absolute value)
• Lymphocytes (in % and absolute value)
• Monocytes (in % and absolute value)
• Myelemia (analyser and microscope)*

Reticulocytes:

• Reticulocytes (fluorescence, microscope; can be reported in % and absolute value)
• Immature reticulocyte fraction (IRF)
• Reticulocyte haemoglobin equivalent (RET-He)

*analytes not covered by accreditation

4 – Description of the control samples

Fresh human control blood samples (ready-to-use 1 mL samples). Sample taken after obtaining consent and sent the same day. To be delivered within 24 hours and analysed upon receipt.

5 – Information

Optional program conditional on MANDATORY registration for the NUM program (EQA - Blood count (stabilised blood))

For full reticulocyte count assessment, it is strongly advised to combine the NFR EQA program (CBC and reticulocytes in fresh blood) with normal values and the RETI EQA program (reticulocytes (stabilised blood)) with pathological values.