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LYME DISEASE TESTING IS OFTEN INACCURATE.

As Lyme disease has increased in incidence, so has the number of patients who present for testing to rule out this diagnosis. This comparison of the results of serologic testing for Lyme disease among four laboratories suggests that many test results that clinicians receive may be inaccurate. The authors collected 132 serum samples from outdoor workers employed by the state of New Jersey. After initial analysis at a commercial laboratory, investigators sent all 31 positive samples and a random selection of negative samples to the same laboratory and to three other laboratories for additional testing (if there was enough serum). A total of 54 workers had at least one positive test, but only eight samples tested positive at all four laboratories. Statistical analyses indicated that levels of agreement among the laboratories were low.

These discrepancies indicate that false-negative and false-positive results are common, and that standardization of the assays used in Lyme disease serologic testing is in order.

— THL

Published in Journal Watch General Medicine December 26, 1989

Citation(s):

Schwartz BS et al. Antibody testing in Lyme disease: a comparison of results in four laboratories. JAMA 1989 Dec 22 262 3431-3434.

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