pISSN 2234-3806
eISSN 2234-3814

Table. 1. Table 1

Overview of the proficiency test scheme of the Korean Association of External Quality Assessment Service

Discipline	Classification of the Program	Program	Tests	Distribution/yr	Specimen (origin; type; state; preparation)	Shipping conditions (°C)	N participants (2020)
Transfusion medicine	Pretransfusion testing	Blood crossmatching and Blood typing, general	Blood crossmatching; ABO typing; RhD typing	2	Human; WB; Liquid; IH	FRG	923
		Blood typing, special	ABO subtyping; Rh CcEe Ag test; Weak D test	2	Human; WB; Liquid; IH	FRG	253
		Transfusion Ab, general	Unexpected Ab, screening; Direct anti-human globulin test	2	Human; WB and plasma; Liquid; IH	FRG	335
		Transfusion Ab, special	Unexpected Ab, identification; ABO Ab titration	2	Human; Plasma; Liquid; IH	FRG	139
Diagnostic hematology	Hematology and clinical microscopy	CBC and microscopy	CBC	2	Animal; WB; Liquid; P	FRG	1,819
			Blood cell morphology	2	Human; Blood smear; Image; IH
		Peripheral blood smear (pilot project)	Malaria detection; Parasitemia; Identification	2	Human; Blood smear; Image; IH		277
		ESR (pilot project)	ESR	2	Synthetic material; Latex; Liquid; P	FRG	448
					Human; WB; Liquid; P	FRG
	Coagulation	Coagulation, general	PT INR; aPTT; Coagulation factor I (fibrinogen); Thrombin time; Antithrombin III activity	2	Human; Plasma; Lyophilized; P	FRG	606
		Coagulation, special	Protein C (functional); Protein S (functional)	2	Human; Plasma; Lyophilized; P	FRG	20
Clinical chemistry	Urinalysis and stool occult blood, etc.	Urinalysis	Urinalysis	3	Animal; Serum, Hb and Enzyme; Liquid; P	FRG	1,726
			Urine sediment	3	Human; Urine; Image; IH
		Stool occult blood	Stool occult blood (QL); Stool occult blood (QN)	2	Other origins; Hb; Lyophilized; P	FRG	1,014
	Blood gas analysis	Blood gas analysis	pH; pCO₂; pO₂; Lactic acid; Ionized calcium; Ionized magnesium; Sodium; Potassium; Chloride	2	DW; Buffered bicarbonate and electrolyte solution; Liquid; P	FRG	420
		Blood gas analysis, POCT	pH; pCO₂; pO₂	2	DW; Buffered bicarbonate and electrolyte solution; Liquid; P	FRG	177
	General chemistry	Routine chemistry	Sodium; Potassium; Chloride; Calcium; Phosphorus; Magnesium; BUN; Glucose; Cholesterol; HDL-C; LDL-C; TG; ALT; ALP; AST; Bilirubin, total; Bilirubin, direct; Albumin; Protein; GGT; LDH; Amylase; Lipase; CK; Uric acid; Iron; TIBC; Total CO₂; Osmolality	4	Human; Serum; Lyophilized; P	FRG	1,801
		ICG test	ICG concentration; K; R15	2	Human; plasma; Liquid	FRG	40
		Urine chemistry	Urine albumin; Calcium; Chloride; Creatinine; Glucose; Magnesium; Phosphorus; Potassium; Urine protein; Sodium; Urea Nitrogen; Uric acid; hCG	2	Human; Urine; Lyophilized; P	FRG	304
	Special proteins	Special proteins	Ceruloplasmin; Ferritin; Transferrin; Haptoglobin; Prealbumin; Alpha1-antitrypsin; CRP (QL); CRP (QN); ASO (QL); ASO (QN); RF (QL); RF (QN)	2	Human; Serum; Liquid; P	F	620
	Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and vitamins	Glucose, POCT	Glucose		Human; Serum and Hb; Liquid; P	FRG	375
		Cardiac markers	CK-MB, mass; CK-MB, activity; Homocysteine; Myoglobin; Troponin I; Troponin T; BNP; Pro-BNP; High sensitivity CRP	2	Human; Serum; Liquid; IH	F	475
	Metabolism testing	Newborn screening	Total galactose; 17-hydroxyprogesterone; TSH; T4, total; Newborn screening for inborn error of metabolism	2	Human; WB; Dried blood spot; IH	F	17
		Organic acid profile	Organic acid profile	2	Human; Urine; Liquid; IH	F	5
		Amino acid profile	Amino acid profile	2	Human; Plasma; Liquid; IH	F	7
		Special metabolites	Methylmanonic acid; Vanillylmandelic acid; Epinephrine, urine; Norepinephrine, urine; Dopamine, urine; Metanephrine, urine; Normetanephrine, urine; Epinephrine, plasma; Norepinephrine, plasma; Dopamine, plasma; Metanephrine, plasma; Normetanephrine, plasma	2	Human; Urine and plasma; Liquid; IH	F	10
	Endocrinology	Hormones I	TSH; T4, total; T4, free; T3, total; Thyroglobulin; hCG, total (serum); Testosterone; Estradiol; Progesterone; Prolactin; Insulin; Folate; Human growth hormone; Vitamin B₁₂; Cortisol	2	Human; Serum; Liquid; P	F	661
		Hormones II	PTH; Erythropoietin; Vitamin D; Procalcitonin	2	Human; Serum; Lyophilized; P	FRG	315
		Hormones III (pilot project)	Anti-Mullerian hormone	2	Human; Serum; Liquid	F	31
	Tumor markers	Tumor markers I	AFP (QN); CEA; PSA; PIVKA-II	2	Human; Serum; Liquid; IH	F	723
		Tumor markers II	CA 125; CA 19-9; CA 15-3; CA 72-4; Beta2-microglobulin; Human epididymis protein 4	2	Human; Serum; Lyophilized; P	FRG	446
	Therapeutic drug monitoring and toxicology	Therapeutic drug monitoring, general	Acetaminophen; Amikacin; Amitriptyline; Carbamazepine; Carbamazepine,free; Chloramphenicol; Desipramine; Disopyramide; Digoxin; Ethosuximide; Lidocaine; Gentamicin; Lithium; Methotrexate; Nortriptyline; Phenobarbital; Phenytoin; Phenytoin, free; Primidone; Procainamide; Propranolol; Quinidine; Salicylate; Theophylline; Tobramycin; Valproic acid; Valproic acid, free; Vancomycin	2	Human; Serum; Lyophilized; P	FRG	106
		Immunosuppressants therapeutic drug monitoring	Cyclosporine; Tacrolimus (FK506); Sirolimus; Everolimus	2	Human; WB; Liquid; P	FRG	13
		Therapeutic drug monitoring, special	MPA; Voriconazole; Posaconazole; Itraconazole	2	Human; Serum; Liquid; IH	FRG	77
		Drug of abuse (QL)	Amphetamine; Methamphetamine; MDMA; Morphine, Free; Phencyclidine; 3,4-Secobarbital; 9-COOH-11-nor-Δ9-THC; Benzoylecgonine; Ethanol; LSD; Methadone; Methaqualone; Nordiazepam; Nortriptyline; Oxazepam; Propoxyphene	2	Human; Urine; Liquid; P	FRG	141
	Accuracy-based chemistry	Accuracy-based lipids	Cholesterol, total; HDL-C; LDL-C; TG; Apolipoprotein A1; Apolipoprotein B; Lipoprotein(a)	2	Human; Serum; Liquid; IH	F	275
		Accuracy-based creatinine	Creatinine; estimated GFR	2	Human; Plasma; Liquid; IH	F	1,758
		Accuracy-cased HbA1c	HbA1c	2	Human; WB; Liquid; IH	FRG	597
Diagnostic immunology	Complements and immunoglobulins	Complements and immunoglobulins	C3; C4; IgG; IgA; IgM; IgE; FLC, kappa; FLC, lambda	2	Human; Serum; Liquid; P	F	164
	Serology	Syphilis tests	Non-treponemal test; Treponemal test	2	Human; Plasma; Liquid; IH	F	595
		Hepatitis serology	HBsAg; HBsAb; HCV Ab; HBcAb, total; HBc Ab, IgM; HBeAg; HBeAb; HAV Ab, total; HAV Ab, IgG; HAV Ab, IgM	2	Human; Plasma; Liquid; IH	F	1,103
		Virus serology I	HIV Ag/Ab; HTLV Ab; CMV Ab, IgG; CMV Ab, IgM	2	Human and Animal; Serum; Liquid; IH	F	591
		Virus serology II	Rubella IgG; Rubella IgM; EBV Viral Capsid Ag, IgG; EBV Viral Capsid Ag, IgM; EBV Nucleic Acid Ag, IgG	2	Human and Animal; Serum; Liquid; IH	F	93
	Histocompatibility testing	HLA typing	HLA Typing	2	Human; WB; Liquid; IH	FRG	69
		HLA typing, special	HLA B27 Typing; HLA B51 Typing	2	Human; WB; Liquid; IH	FRG	62
		HLA crossmatching	HLA crossmatching, CDC; HLA crossmatching, flow cytometry	2	Human; Serum and PBMC; Liquid; IH	RT (PBMC) and FRG (serum)	48
		HLA Ab tests	HLA Ab screening; HLA Ab identification	2	Human; Serum; Liquid; IH	FRG	26
	Cellular immunity, flow cytometry	Lymphocyte subset assay	Lymphocyte subset assay	2	Human; WB; Liquid; IH	RT	56
		Stem/progenitor cell assay	CD34+Stem/Progenitor cell assay	2	Human; WB; Liquid; IH	RT	42
		Hematologic malignancy immunophenotyping	Hematologic malignancy immunophenotyping	2	Human; WB and BM aspirate; Liquid; IH	RT	44
	Autoimmunity	Autoimmune Assay I	ANA; Anti-mitochondrial Ab; Anti-smooth muscle Ab	2	Human; Serum; Liquid; IH	F	82
		Autoimmune Assay II	Anti-thyroglobulin Ab; Anti-thyroperoxidase Ab; Anti-dsDNA Ab	2	Human; Serum; Liquid; IH	F	111
	Allergy test	Allergy test	Allergen-specific IgE (QN), Multi-allergen screen (Semi-QN)	2	Human; Serum; Liquid; IH	F	121
	Infection-induced immune responses	Tuberculosis Ag response	IGRA	2	Animal; Serum and Interferon-gamma power; Lyophilized; IH	FRG	76
Clinical microbiology	Microbiology	Mycobacteriology, general	Acid-fast stain microscopy	3	Human; MTB; Slide; IH	FRG	255
			Acid fast bacilli culture; Acid fast bacilli identification	3	Human; Sputum; Liquid; IH	FRG
		Mycobacteriology, drug sensitivity	Acid-fast bacilli antibiotic sensitivity	3	Human; MTB; Liquid; IH	FRG	7
		Bacteriology	Bacteria stain microscopy; Bacteria culture; Bacteria identification; Antibiotics sensitivity test	3	Human; Bacteria; Liquid medium; IH	FRG	282
		Mycology	Fungus stain microscopy; Fungus culture; Fungus identification	2	Human; Fungus; Liquid medium; IH	FRG	135
		Parasitology	Parasite eggs image	3	Human and Animal; Parasite egg; Image; IH	FRG	217
			Parasite eggs slide	3	Human and Animal; Parasite egg; Slide; IH	FRG
Molecular diagnostics	Molecular microbiology	Molecular microbiology, mycobacteria	MTB DNA; MTB DNA, isoniazid resistance mutation; MTB DNA, rifampicin resistance mutation	3	Human; MTB and NTM; Liquid; IH	FRG	132
		Molecular microbiology, hepatitis viruses	HBV (QL); HBV (QN); HCV (QL); HCV (QN); HBV DNA drug resistance mutation	2	Human; Plasma; Liquid; IH	F	121
		Molecular microbiology, viruses	CMV (QL); CMV (QN); EBV (QL); EBV (QN); HPV (QL); HIV (QL); HIV (QN); Adenovirus (QL); Influenzavirus A,B (QL); Parainfluenza 1,2,3 virus (QL); RSV (QL), BK virus (QL)	2	Human; Serum (Plasma); Liquid; IH	F	124
				2	Human; Virus; Liquid; IH	F
	Human genetics	Cytogenetics	Chromosomal analysis	3	Human; WB; Image; IH	-	40
		FISH	Fluorescence in situ hybridization	3	Human; WB; Slide; IH	F	32
		Molecular, hematologic malignancy	Leukemia gene rearrangement; JAK2 gene V617F mutation; FLT3 gene internal tandem duplication; FLT3 gene tyrosine kinase domain mutation; NPM1 gene mutation, CALR gene mutation	2	Human; WB; Liquid (DNA); IH	FRG	48
		Molecular, solid tumors	KRAS gene mutation; EGFR gene mutation; BRAF gene mutation; KIT (C-Kit) gene mutation	2	Human; DNA; Liquid; IH	FRG	28
		Molecular, genetic disorders	BRCA1; BRCA2; TP53; ATP7B; MT-TL1; MT-TK; GJB2; LHON major mutation; RET; Spinocerebellar ataxia; APOE genotyping; FGFR3 major mutation; MTHFR genotyping; Prader-Willi/Angelman syndrome; DMD, Del/Dup; HD gene trinucleotide repeat expansion; FMR1 gene trinucleotide repeat expansion; TGFBI major mutation; SBMA; SMN1, Del/Dup	2	Human; DNA; Liquid; IH	FRG	56
		Pharmacogenetics, Molecular, pharmacogenetics	CYP2C19 genotyping; CYP2C9 genotyping; VKORC1 genotyping; CYP2D6 genotyping; TPMT genotyping	2	Human; DNA; Liquid; IH	FRG	21
		Human genetics, others Molecular, others	ABO genotyping	2	Human; DNA; Liquid; IH	FRG	16
		Liquid biopsy	EGFR gene	2	Human; Plasma; Liquid; IH	F	30
		NGS, somatic	NGS - somatic	2	Human; DNA; Liquid and FASTQ file; IH	F	23
		NGS, germline	NGS - germline	2	Human; DNA; Liquid and FASTQ file; IH	F	24
		NGS, liquid biopsy (pilot project)	NGS - liquid biopsy	2	Human; DNA; Liquid	F	5

Abbreviations: Ab, antibody; AFP, alpha-fetoprotein; Ag, antigen; ALP, alkaline phosphatase; ALT, alanine transferase; ANA, anti-nuclear Ab; aPTT, activated partial thromboplastin time; ASO, anti-streptolysin O; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; BNP, brain natriuretic peptide; BUN, blood urea nitrogen; C, complement component; CA, cancer antigen; CBC, complete blood cell count; CDC, complement-dependent cytotoxicity; CEA, carcinoembryonic Ag; CK, creatine kinase; CK-MB, creatine kinase-MB; CMV, cytomegalovirus; CRP, C-reactive protein; EBV, Epstein-Barr virus; estimated GFR, estimated glomerular filtration rate; F, frozen; FISH, fluorescence in situ hybridization; FLC, free light chain; FRG, refrigerated; GGT, gamma-glutamyl transferase; HAV, hepatitis A virus; Hb, hemoglobin; HbA1c, hemoglobin A1c; HBcAb, hepatitis B virus core Ab; HBeAb hepatitis B virus envelope Ab; HBeAg, hepatitis B virus envelope Ag; HBsAb, hepatitis B virus surface Ab; HBsAg, hepatitis B virus surface Ag; hCG, human chorionic gonadotropin; HCV, hepatitis C virus; HDL-C, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; HIV, human immunodeficiency virus; HLA, human leukocyte antigen; HPV, human papillomavirus; HTLV, human T-lymphotropic virus; ICG, indocyanine green; Ig, immunoglobulin; IGRA, interferon-gamma release assay; IH, in-house prepared quality material; LDH, lactate dehydrogenase; LDL-C, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; LSD, lysergic acid diethylamide; MDMA, methylene dioxy methamphetamine; MPA, methiopropamine; NGS, next-generation sequencing; P, purchased quality material; PBMC, peripheral blood mononuclear cell; PIVKA-II, protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist-II; POCT, point-of-care testing; PSA, prostate-specific antigen; PT, prothrombin time; PTH, parathyroid hormone; QL, qualitative; QN, quantitative; RF, rheumatoid factor; RSV, respiratory syncytial virus; RT, room temperature; T3, triiodothyronine; T4, thyroxine; TG, triglyceride; TIBC, total iron-binding capacity; TSH, thyroid-stimulating hormone; WB, whole blood.

Ann Lab Med 2021;41:230~239 https://doi.org/10.3343/alm.2021.41.2.230