Title:Clinical and technical assessment of the EUROIMMUN Dermatology Mosaic 7 BIOCHIP IIF assay: evidence in favour of change from traditional tissue based indirect immunofluorescence methodology

Author:Paul M Austin, Yulia J Hwang, Caroline L Allan, Helena T Thompson-Faiva and Rong Zhou

Abstract:Objective: To determine if any clinical and/or operational benefits accrued from changing the skin autoantibody Indirect Immunofluorescence (IIF) methodology type from tissue-based pattern (ICS / BMZ) recognition to specific antibody (Dsg1, Dsg3, BP180, BP210) determination.
Methods: 168 unselected retained patient sera from routine skin autoantibody testing were tested in a randomised format using the Euroimmun Dermatology Mosaic 7 BIOCHIP IIF assay. Results were correlated against those patients (N=89) that had skin biopsy results available.
Results: Superior NPV and PPV values were obtained for the specific antibody versus the tissue – based method (NPV: 89.5% vs. 84.8%, PPV: 86.4% vs. 69.6%). At LabPLUS, transition of methodology would allow reduced reporting times for antibody positive patients (35% - 95% improvement) as well as delivering reduced operational consumable costs (NZD $7,000 – NZD$8,000 p.a.).
Conclusions: An improved diagnostic value clinical service with faster reporting times at a reduced cost were the key findings from the study and ultimately were the drivers for dermatologists endorsed decision to transition from tissue-based pattern to specific skin antibody target reporting at LabPLUS, Auckland City Hospital, New Zealand.
Key words: Euroimmun Dermatology mosaic 7 IIF biochip [EIIF], PV disease, BP disease, Skin biopsy, Tissue-based Indirect Immunofluorescence [TBIF]
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