Using a Hitachi 705 Selective Analyzer at 25 °C, precision and accuracy of the enzymatic determination of total bilirubin (DRI-STAT®) in serum of newborns was studied. Imprecision (day-to-day) was unacceptably high using daily calibration, but could be reduced by using a fixed factor. Accuracy was checked by analysis of 70 newborn sera with the ‘Candidate Reference Method’ and DRI-STAT®. It could be improved using calibrators with reference method values. Haemoglobin interference was studied by addition of different derivatives of fetal haemoglobin (oxihaemoglobin, desoxihaemoglobin, haemiglobin) to pools of newborn sera and control samples. DRI-STAT® is more susceptible to interference by oxihaemoglobin than other routine methods. No difference was found in the influence of oxhihaemoglobin and desoxihaemoglobin; haemiglobin interferes significantly less.
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