Journal of Laboratory Medicine

Official Journal of the German Society of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine and affiliated with the Austrian Society of Laboratory Medicine and Clinical Chemistry

Editor-in-Chief: Peter Schuff-Werner
Edited by: Parviz Ahmad-Nejad , Andreas Bietenbeck , Peter Findeisen , Peter Fraunberger , Georg Hoffmann , Stefan Holdenrieder , Michael Kiehntopf , Frank Klawonn , Hanns-Georg Klein , Reinhild Klein , Klaus P. Kohse , Ralf Lichtinghagen , Peter B. Luppa , Alexander von Meyer , Carl Thomas Nebe , Matthias Orth , Ulrich Sack , Werner Steimer , Eberhard Wieland and Christof Winter

Language: English

First published: January 1, 1977

Publication Frequency: 6 issues per year

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Objective
The Journal of Laboratory Medicine (JLM) reports on the latest developments in laboratory medicine. It focusses on the diagnostic, clinical, methodological and pathogenic aspects of the modern clinical laboratory, as well as on technical, regulatory and educational topics. JLM is published bi-monthly. All articles submitted for publication in JLM are subject to single-anonymized peer review by at least two experts in the field, selected and invited by the Editor-in-Chief and a dedicated editorial team. JLM publishes only English-language articles.
JLM is an open access journal. To sustain the publication of all fully peer-reviewed manuscripts, each article accepted for publication in JLM is subject to an article processing charge (APC), paid by the authors' affiliated institutions, funders, sponsors or institutions that have an agreement with us. Open access publication is also partially funded by an unrestricted educational grant from the German Society of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (DGKL) and the Austrian Society for Laboratory Medicine and Clinical Chemistry (ÖGLMKC). This grant plays no role in the selection and publication of articles, nor does it influence the peer review process.

Topics
Allergy and Autoimmunity // Applied Statistical Methods in Laboratory Medicine // Biobanking // Clinical Chemistry and Metabolism // Drug Monitoring and Toxicology // Extra-Analytics // Geriatric Laboratory // Hematology // Hemostasiology // Infectiology and Microbiology // Inflammation and Sepsis // Informatics in Laboratory Medicine // Laboratory Management // Molecular-Genetic and Cytogenetic Diagnostics // Oncological Diagnostics/Liquid Profiling // Pediatric Laboratory // Point-of-Care-Testing // Proteomics and Metabolomics

Article formats
Review, Mini Review, Original Article, Opinion Paper, Guidelines and Recommendations, Point/Counterpoint, Editorial, Case Study-Mini Review, Laboratory Case Report, Short Communication, Images from the Medical Laboratory, Letter to the Editor & Reply.

JLM is the official journal of the DGKL. As a medical-scientific society, DGKL represents the interests of clinical chemists and laboratory experts in Germany, Europe and the world.The society considers the health, well-being and care of patients as its driving force and top guiding principle. The members of DGKL guarantee fast, precise and reliable laboratory diagnostics, which are the basis for correct diagnoses, sustainable prevention and successful treatments. In the spirit of modern medicine, the members of DGKL are committed to scientific progress and the continuous further development of the field of laboratory medicine, thus guaranteeing scientific excellence. With its expertise and national and international network, DGKL contributes significantly to maintaining and further developing standards of care and quality in clinical chemistry and laboratory medicine.
The MedLabPortal is the information portal of the DGKL. Here you will find the latest news, background reports and comprehensive information from the field of laboratory medicine.

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Open Access
Establishing serum zinc reference intervals with two different photometric assays and evaluating their impact on zinc deficiency prevalence

August 8, 2025

Eren Vurgun, Ayse Aktas

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Objectives The results obtained for zinc levels by different laboratory measurement procedures vary because zinc is not yet a harmonized test. Firstly, we aimed to determine reference intervals for serum zinc that had been measured by two different kits on two different clinical chemistry analyzers, employing various statistical methodologies, and secondly to make a comparison between zinc deficiency prevalences according to the determined reference intervals and the manufacturer’s reference intervals. Methods The results of the serum zinc levels that were measured by spectrophotometric method, using Improgen ® and Archem ® zinc kits across a range of time intervals, were obtained retrospectively. The indirect reference intervals for zinc were determined using the Bhattacharya, RefineR and ReflimR methods for both assays. The prevalence of zinc deficiency was evaluated according to the two different kit manufacturers’ recommendations and our established reference intervals. Results The reference intervals determined by all three methods were found to be lower than those recommended by the manufacturers with the exception of Archem ® kit in children. Although the determined reference intervals and lower reference limits were different, the prevalence of zinc deficiency has decreased substantially after the implementation of established reference intervals for both kits and has reached almost same level (20.0–4.6 % and 8.5–4.7 %). Conclusions The establishment of appropriate and accurate zinc reference intervals is of paramount importance in order to avoid the overdiagnosis of zinc deficiency, the unnecessary laboratory testing and the administration of supplements to individuals without underlying deficiencies.
Open Access
Current status and future perspectives on standardized training for laboratory medicine resident physicians in China

July 30, 2025

Shanshan Li, Shujing Liang, Hongbin Chen, Hui Wang

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This paper offers a comprehensive examination of the current landscape of standardized training for laboratory medicine resident physicians in China. It explores key elements including training objectives, methodologies, content, and evaluation criteria. Based on a critical analysis of existing strengths and limitations within the current system, targeted recommendations are proposed to guide the cultivation of highly qualified professionals in laboratory medicine. These suggestions aim to improve the overall quality of residency training and address growing clinical demands and evolving trends within the discipline.
Open Access
Diagnostic validation of the GAAD algorithm for hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance in Vietnam

July 22, 2025

Nguyen Thi Thanh Hai, Ngoc Anh Doi, Nguyen Huyen Nguyen, Phuong Dung Hoang, Nguyen Kim Thu, Thi Thu Huong Vu, Van Huy Dinh, Minh Trong Nguyen, Van Giang Tran, Ngoc Thach Pham

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Objectives Chronic hepatitis B infection is a major cause in Vietnam of developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HCC surveillance for hepatitis B patients is recommended to detect tumors early for effective treatment and survival extension. The novel Elecsys ® GAAD algorithm (Roche Diagnostic) was generated by using serum PIVKA-II and AFP measurements with age and biological sex factors for more effective HCC screening expectations. This study was conducted to validate the GAAD algorithm for HCC surveillance in Vietnamese hepatitis B patients. Methods A cross-section study with 337 hepatitis B patients divided into 142 HCC and 195 non-HCC including benign liver tumors, liver fibrosis and cirrhosis was performed in Vietnam. The Elecsys ® GAAD score was computed by Elecsys ® AFP, Elecsys ® PIVKA-II and patient’s age, gender. Clinical valuation of the GAAD algorithm was accessed by sensitivity, specificity at recommend cut-off, and AUC of receiver operating characteristic curve. Results The GAAD was shown moderate performance with AUC of 0.767 (95 % CI 0,716–0,818) but more effective than single AFP in general HCC detection, and more useful than PIVKA-II in HCC detection at early stage with tumor ≤ 2 cm and in distinguishing benign liver tumor from HCC. It did not provide more benefit than PIVKA-II to detect HCC at all stages or cirrhosis background. Conclusions The study was shown that GAAD was moderate performance but seemed more effective than single AFP in general HCC surveillance and might be superior to PIVKA-II for detecting early-stage HCC with tumors ≤2 cm, and for distinguishing HCC from benign liver tumors in chronic hepatitis B patients.
Open Access
Effect of DNA input on analytical and clinical parameters of a circulating tumor DNA assay for comprehensive genomic profiling

June 30, 2025

Cheonghwa Lee, Changhee Ha, Young-gon Kim, Jong-Won Kim

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Objectives Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) assays play an increasingly important role in cancer management. A new version of TruSight Oncology 500 (TSO500) ctDNA, v2, was recently released, and the recommended DNA input was decreased to 20 ng from 30 ng in the prior version. This study aimed to assess the analytical and clinical performance of TSO500 ctDNA v2 using varying input DNA. Methods Four replicates of two reference materials were prepared with varying DNA input. Nine residual clinical samples that were tested using TSO500 ctDNA v1 were also prepared with reduced DNA input compared to the initial tests. A total of 17 samples were subjected to library preparation, sequencing, and bioinformatics analysis according to the manufacturer’s protocol. The effects of varying DNA input on quality measures and variant detection accuracy were analyzed. Results The depth of coverage and variant detection sensitivity of the reference material gradually decreased with reduced DNA input. The total number of reads was unaffected, while the mean family size increased with the reduction in DNA input, attributing the decreased performance to reduced library complexity. Among the 61 single nucleotide variants and 17 indel variants previously detected using TSO500 ctDNA v1 with 30 ng of input DNA, only 45 (73.8 %) and 7 (41.2 %) were detected using v2 with 20 ng of input DNA, respectively. Conclusions The DNA input is a critical factor that determines assay performance and an input higher than recommended by the manufacturer should preferably be used for TSO500 ctDNA v2 for its optimal performance.

Journal Impact Factor	1.8	2024, Journal Citation Reports (Clarivate, 2025)
5-year Journal Impact Factor	1.5	2024, Journal Citation Reports (Clarivate, 2025)
Journal Citation Indicator	0.50	2024, Journal Citation Reports (Clarivate, 2025)
CiteScore	2.7	2024, Scopus (Elsevier B.V., 2025)
SCImago Journal Rank	0.399	2024, SJR (Scimago Lab, 2025; Data Source: Scopus)
Source Normalized Impact per Paper	0.570	2024, CWTS Journal Indicators (CWTS B.V., 2025; Data Source: Scopus)

Journal of Laboratory Medicine

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