Prevalence of Laboratory Critical Results in Eye Patients from an Eye Hospital in Southern China

OBJECTIVES To investigate the prevalence of laboratory critical results (CRs) and associated risk factors in patients with eye diseases in a tertiary eye hospital. METHODS Blood samples were collected from both inpatients and outpatients at Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Guangzhou, China, from June 1, 2012, to May 31, 2014, and samples were sent to the hospital's clinical laboratory for blood routine, biochemistry, and blood coagulation tests. Laboratory CRs for blood glucose, sodium, potassium, white blood cell count, platelet count, prothrombin time, fibrinogen, international normalized ratio, and activated partial thromboplastin time were included in the current analysis. RESULTS A total of 60403 subjects were enrolled in the current analysis. CRs were identified in 339 tests from 336 patients with a prevalence of 5.7‰. Age was positively associated with the presence of CRs. Compared to patients with lens diseases, patients with strabismus, oculoplastics, and ocular trauma were less likely to have CRs (P < 0.05), while patients with tumors were more likely to have CRs (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of CRs in eye patients is low but calls for medication attention. It is important for medical personnel, especially ophthalmologists, to increase awareness of the importance, as well as the prevalence and risk factors of CRs.