Research Article: Clinical utility of optical scatter-derived red blood cell parameters for the rapid identification and correction of lipemic interference
Abstract:
Lipemic interference is a common cause of spuriously increased hemoglobin (HGB) and red blood cell indices in routine complete blood count testing. This study evaluated whether Delta-HGB, an optical scatter-derived parameter generated in the reticulocyte (RET) channel of an automated hematology analyzer, can identify lipemic interference and whether optical scatter-derived HGB-O and MCHC-O can rapidly correct lipemia-related bias.
A total of 471 complete blood count specimens collected between April 2025 and February 2026 were included, comprising 158 non-lipemic and 313 lipemic samples. The precision and linearity of optical scatter-based HGB measurement were first assessed. HGB-I obtained by the conventional colorimetric method was then compared with HGB-O obtained by the optical scatter method in non-lipemic samples. Lipemic specimens were analyzed using the colorimetric method, optical scatter method, plasma replacement, and formula-based correction. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to evaluate the performance of Delta-HGB and MCHC-I, and agreement among correction methods was assessed.
The optical scatter method showed acceptable within-run precision, with coefficients of variation of 1.0–1.3% in non-lipemic samples and 0.9–1.4% in lipemic samples, all meeting the WS/T 406–2012 criterion. Linearity was excellent. In non-lipemic samples, HGB results measured by the colorimetric and optical scatter methods did not differ significantly. For overall lipemic interference, the AUC was 0.703 (95% CI: 0.658–0.749) for Delta-HGB and 0.668 (95% CI: 0.620–0.716) for MCHC-I. After stratification by lipemic index, discrimination of severe lipemic interference improved markedly, with AUCs of 0.988 (95% CI: 0.970–1.000) and 0.979 (95% CI: 0.950–1.000), respectively. The optimal cutoffs were 7?g/L for Delta-HGB and 359.5?g/L for MCHC-I, both yielding sensitivity and specificity above 95%. Optical scatter-derived HGB, MCHC, and MCH showed good agreement with plasma replacement and formula-based correction.
Delta-HGB combined with MCHC-I is useful for identifying severe lipemic interference. Optical scatter-derived parameters can correct lipemia-induced bias without specimen pretreatment, providing a rapid and practical strategy for routine laboratory use.
Introduction:
Lipemic interference is a common cause of spuriously increased hemoglobin (HGB) and red blood cell indices in routine complete blood count testing. This study evaluated whether Delta-HGB, an optical scatter-derived parameter generated in the reticulocyte (RET) channel of an automated hematology analyzer, can identify lipemic interference and whether optical scatter-derived HGB-O and MCHC-O can rapidly correct lipemia-related bias.
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