External quality control for dried blood spot-based C-reactive protein assay: experience from the indonesia family life survey and the longitudinal aging study in India

Biodemography Soc Biol. 2015;61(1):111-20. doi: 10.1080/19485565.2014.1001886.

Abstract

Measurement of C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation, in dried blood spots has been increasingly incorporated into community-based social surveys internationally. Although the dried blood spot-based CRP assay protocol has been validated in the United States, it remains unclear whether laboratories in other less-developed countries can generate CRP results of similar quality. We therefore conducted external quality monitoring for dried blood spot-based CRP measurement for the Indonesia Family Life Survey and the Longitudinal Aging Study in India. Our results show that dried blood spot-based CRP results in these two countries have excellent and consistent correlations with serum-based values and dried blood spot-based results from the reference laboratory in the United States. Even though the results from duplicate samples may have fluctuations in absolute values over time, the relative order of C-reactive protein levels remains similar, and the estimates are reasonably precise for population-based studies that investigate the association between socioeconomic factors and health.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biological Assay / standards*
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • C-Reactive Protein / analysis*
  • Developing Countries / statistics & numerical data
  • Dried Blood Spot Testing / standards*
  • Family Characteristics
  • Humans
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Quality Control*
  • Risk Factors
  • Surveys and Questionnaires

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • C-Reactive Protein