The enumeration of lymphocyte subsets is important in a variety of conditions such as primary immunodeficiency (eg Severe Combined Immunodeficiency / SCID) or the monitoring of drug therapies such as rituximab in autoimmune disorders. However the most common use is in the monitoring Human Immunodeficiency Virus / HIV, a secondary immunodeficiency disorder.

To ensure that the programme meets the requirements of all users the programme issues stabilised whole blood with laboratories required to determine the lymphocyte subsets (CD3+, CD3+/CD4+, CD3+/CD8+, CD19+ and CD16+/56+).

Laboratories are requested to report both percentage and absolute values (in cells per microlitre), and performance is monitored using this data, unless a centre chooses to eschew either parameter in which case they would not be performance monitored for the relevant parameters. Two samples are issued per trial and this programme issues trials a minimum of 4 times per annum and a maximum of 6.

Trials for this programme are live/open for a minimum of 3 weeks.

Please Note: Trials issued/closing in August or December are extended by 1 week.

An automated email is sent 2 days prior to the trial closing, to any participant that has not returned results, warning them of the trial closure date. 

No activities in relation to this EQA programme are subcontracted.

Non-flow cytometric systems and those that include electronic volume measurement to identify cells will be scored as separate cohorts to allow for the performance monitoring of these systems.

To register for this programme, please click here.

As of 1st April 2017 CD19 and CD16/CD56 will be subject to performance monitoring.

It is essential that your testing repertoire is updated accordingly during re-registration to reflect current working practices for lymphocyte subsets.

Failure to provide this update could result in classification as a non-return if results for these parameters are not submitted.