The performance of protein, lactic dehydrogenase, and alkaline phosphatase electrophoresis as part of a hospital admission screening procedure.

The practice of pre-admission hospital laboratory testing has been criticized as inefficient and cost ineffective. Laboratory screening is frequently condemned without regard for the possibility that a particular screening protocol may be poorly conceived and inadequate. To increase the specificity of our screening procedure to answer some questions raised by results of total enzyme and protein results, we have adapted the Nerenberg "sandwich" technique for multi-sample, simultaneous electrophoresis of sera for proteins, lactic dehydrogenase, and alkaline phosphatase. Twenty-six samples can be analyzed per hour by one technician at a total cost of about $1.00 per specimen. Results are interpreted visually without densitometry. Addition of the technique to our laboratory screening procedure has produced a demonstrable increase in test specificity and sensitivity. There is also a potential for a significant reduction in laboratory costs through anticipation and reduction of individually-performed electrophoretic techniques.