We updated the Korean Society of Gynecologic Oncology (KSGO) practice guideline for the management of ovarian cancer as version 5.1. The ovarian cancer guideline team of the KSGO published announced the fifth version (version 5.0) of its clinical practice guidelines for the management of ovarian cancer in December 2023. In version 5.0, the selection of the key questions and the systematic reviews were based on the data available up to December 2022.Therefore, we updated the guidelines version 5.0 with newly accumulated clinical data and added 5 new key questions reflecting the latest insights in the field of ovarian cancer between 2023 and 2024. For each question, recommendation was provided together with corresponding level of evidence and grade of recommendation, all established through expert consensus.

We updated the Korean Society of Gynecologic Oncology (KSGO) practice guideline for the management of ovarian cancer as version 5.1. The ovarian cancer guideline team of the KSGO published announced the fifth version (version 5.0) of its clinical practice guidelines for the management of ovarian cancer in December 2023. In version 5.0, the selection of the key questions and the systematic reviews were based on the data available up to December 2022.Therefore, we updated the guidelines version 5.0 with newly accumulated clinical data and added 5 new key questions reflecting the latest insights in the field of ovarian cancer between 2023 and 2024. For each question, recommendation was provided together with corresponding level of evidence and grade of recommendation, all established through expert consensus.

We updated the Korean Society of Gynecologic Oncology (KSGO) practice guideline for the management of ovarian cancer as version 5.1. The ovarian cancer guideline team of the KSGO published announced the fifth version (version 5.0) of its clinical practice guidelines for the management of ovarian cancer in December 2023. In version 5.0, the selection of the key questions and the systematic reviews were based on the data available up to December 2022.Therefore, we updated the guidelines version 5.0 with newly accumulated clinical data and added 5 new key questions reflecting the latest insights in the field of ovarian cancer between 2023 and 2024. For each question, recommendation was provided together with corresponding level of evidence and grade of recommendation, all established through expert consensus.

Background: The preanalytical phase is more vulnerable to errors. This study aimed to establish preanalytical quality indicators (QIs) suitable for Korean clinical laboratories and investigate the current status of preanalytical phase performance monitoring in Korea using these QIs. Methods: We reviewed previous studies investigating preanalytical QIs including the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry (IFCC) model of QIs, to establish a set of QIs for Korean clinical laboratories. An e-mail survey consisting of this QI set was sent to 90 clinical laboratories. The collected data were analyzed, and performance measures were evaluated according to the quality specifications defined by the IFCC and the sigmascale method. Results: A model consisting of 23 preanalytical phase QIs was established.Approximately 47% (42/90) of clinical laboratories responded to the survey.The average result submission rate for each QI was 56% (standard deviation, 26%). The QIs with the highest and lowest result submission rates were “rejected samples due to hemolysis” (95%) and “recollected sample due to errors caused outside the laboratory” (17%). The QIs with the highest and lowest error rates were “hemolyzed sample detected by hemolytic index” (median, 0.546%; sigma performance level, “good”) and “samples not received” (median, 0.001%; sigma performance level, “very good”), respectively. Conclusions This survey findings on preanalytical phase QIs could serve as a foundation for developing an external quality assessment program for clinical laboratories in Korea.

In 2023, the Korean Association of External Quality Assessment Service conducted its general chemistry proficiency testing (PT) program, which included the routine chemistry and urine chemistry programs, with 29 and 13 test items, respectively. These PT materials comprised both lyophilized and liquid products based on human serum. The routine chemistry program was conducted 4 times annually, while the urine chemistry program was conducted biannually. Statistical analysis of the data for each test method and reagent company was based on the information and results supplied by participating institutions. This analysis included the number of participating institutes, the mean, standard deviation, coefficient of variation (CV), median, minimum, and maximum values for each group. Reports featured tables, histograms, Levey-Jennings charts, and the standard deviation index for each test item. In the routine chemistry program, over 1,000 institutions conducted the 17 test items, and this number continues to grow. Alkaline phosphatase displayed relatively high CVs due to variability in test results across different methods, although the CVs for other tests remained below 20%. In the urine chemistry program, the majority of laboratories participated in the qualitative test for urine human chorionic gonadotropin, and albumin demonstrated notably high CVs.

Background: The preanalytical phase is more vulnerable to errors. This study aimed to establish preanalytical quality indicators (QIs) suitable for Korean clinical laboratories and investigate the current status of preanalytical phase performance monitoring in Korea using these QIs. Methods: We reviewed previous studies investigating preanalytical QIs including the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry (IFCC) model of QIs, to establish a set of QIs for Korean clinical laboratories. An e-mail survey consisting of this QI set was sent to 90 clinical laboratories. The collected data were analyzed, and performance measures were evaluated according to the quality specifications defined by the IFCC and the sigmascale method. Results: A model consisting of 23 preanalytical phase QIs was established.Approximately 47% (42/90) of clinical laboratories responded to the survey.The average result submission rate for each QI was 56% (standard deviation, 26%). The QIs with the highest and lowest result submission rates were “rejected samples due to hemolysis” (95%) and “recollected sample due to errors caused outside the laboratory” (17%). The QIs with the highest and lowest error rates were “hemolyzed sample detected by hemolytic index” (median, 0.546%; sigma performance level, “good”) and “samples not received” (median, 0.001%; sigma performance level, “very good”), respectively. Conclusions This survey findings on preanalytical phase QIs could serve as a foundation for developing an external quality assessment program for clinical laboratories in Korea.

In 2023, the Korean Association of External Quality Assessment Service conducted its general chemistry proficiency testing (PT) program, which included the routine chemistry and urine chemistry programs, with 29 and 13 test items, respectively. These PT materials comprised both lyophilized and liquid products based on human serum. The routine chemistry program was conducted 4 times annually, while the urine chemistry program was conducted biannually. Statistical analysis of the data for each test method and reagent company was based on the information and results supplied by participating institutions. This analysis included the number of participating institutes, the mean, standard deviation, coefficient of variation (CV), median, minimum, and maximum values for each group. Reports featured tables, histograms, Levey-Jennings charts, and the standard deviation index for each test item. In the routine chemistry program, over 1,000 institutions conducted the 17 test items, and this number continues to grow. Alkaline phosphatase displayed relatively high CVs due to variability in test results across different methods, although the CVs for other tests remained below 20%. In the urine chemistry program, the majority of laboratories participated in the qualitative test for urine human chorionic gonadotropin, and albumin demonstrated notably high CVs.

Background: The preanalytical phase is more vulnerable to errors. This study aimed to establish preanalytical quality indicators (QIs) suitable for Korean clinical laboratories and investigate the current status of preanalytical phase performance monitoring in Korea using these QIs. Methods: We reviewed previous studies investigating preanalytical QIs including the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry (IFCC) model of QIs, to establish a set of QIs for Korean clinical laboratories. An e-mail survey consisting of this QI set was sent to 90 clinical laboratories. The collected data were analyzed, and performance measures were evaluated according to the quality specifications defined by the IFCC and the sigmascale method. Results: A model consisting of 23 preanalytical phase QIs was established.Approximately 47% (42/90) of clinical laboratories responded to the survey.The average result submission rate for each QI was 56% (standard deviation, 26%). The QIs with the highest and lowest result submission rates were “rejected samples due to hemolysis” (95%) and “recollected sample due to errors caused outside the laboratory” (17%). The QIs with the highest and lowest error rates were “hemolyzed sample detected by hemolytic index” (median, 0.546%; sigma performance level, “good”) and “samples not received” (median, 0.001%; sigma performance level, “very good”), respectively. Conclusions This survey findings on preanalytical phase QIs could serve as a foundation for developing an external quality assessment program for clinical laboratories in Korea.

In 2023, the Korean Association of External Quality Assessment Service conducted its general chemistry proficiency testing (PT) program, which included the routine chemistry and urine chemistry programs, with 29 and 13 test items, respectively. These PT materials comprised both lyophilized and liquid products based on human serum. The routine chemistry program was conducted 4 times annually, while the urine chemistry program was conducted biannually. Statistical analysis of the data for each test method and reagent company was based on the information and results supplied by participating institutions. This analysis included the number of participating institutes, the mean, standard deviation, coefficient of variation (CV), median, minimum, and maximum values for each group. Reports featured tables, histograms, Levey-Jennings charts, and the standard deviation index for each test item. In the routine chemistry program, over 1,000 institutions conducted the 17 test items, and this number continues to grow. Alkaline phosphatase displayed relatively high CVs due to variability in test results across different methods, although the CVs for other tests remained below 20%. In the urine chemistry program, the majority of laboratories participated in the qualitative test for urine human chorionic gonadotropin, and albumin demonstrated notably high CVs.