Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39989983›Full record

ArticleToxicology reports2025

A novel proficiency test to assess the animal diagnostic investigation process in identifying an unknown toxicant.

Andriy Tkachenko, Yang Chen, Marissa Petrey, Scott Fritz, Tim Walsh, David Rotstein, Megan R Miller, Bruce Williams, Michael Dark, Matthew Kmet and 3 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Toxicology reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Andriy TkachenkoUS Food and Drug Administration, Center for Veterinary Medicine, Laurel, MD 20708, USA.
Yang ChenUS Food and Drug Administration, Human Foods Program, Bedford Park, IL 60501, USA.
Marissa PetreyInstitute for Food Safety and Health, Bedford Park, Illinois, IL 60501, USA.
Scott FritzKansas State University, Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA.
Tim WalshKansas State University, Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA.
David RotsteinUS Food and Drug Administration, Center for Veterinary Medicine, Laurel, MD 20708, USA.
Megan R MillerUS Food and Drug Administration, Center for Veterinary Medicine, Laurel, MD 20708, USA.
Bruce WilliamsDavis-Thompson Foundation, Gurnee, IL 60031, USA.
Michael DarkDavis-Thompson Foundation, Gurnee, IL 60031, USA.
Matthew KmetUS Food and Drug Administration, Human Foods Program, Bedford Park, IL 60501, USA.
Ravinder ReddyUS Food and Drug Administration, Human Foods Program, Bedford Park, IL 60501, USA.
Gregory TysonUS Food and Drug Administration, Center for Veterinary Medicine, Laurel, MD 20708, USA.
Sarah M NemserUS Food and Drug Administration, Center for Veterinary Medicine, Laurel, MD 20708, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Participation in Proficiency Tests (PTs) is an important component of quality assurance in testing laboratories. In a typical chemistry PT, blind-coded samples are sent to participants for analysis of specific chemical agents, and results are compared to a pre-determined key (e.g., expected concentrations) to assess proficiency. In the animal diagnostic PT presented here, organizers evaluated not only the analytical component of the diagnostic investigation but also the entire investigative process as a multi-step, holistic multidisciplinary approach. Fourteen veterinary diagnostic laboratories (VDLs) participated in an exercise to identify the root cause of a simulated case of lead (Pb) toxicosis. VDLs received a case description outlining neurological signs in cattle, a digitized brain histology slide, and liver and brain tissue samples for optional chemistry analysis. Thirteen of 14 VDLs successfully diagnosed lead toxicosis by completing the following stages: (a) correctly identifying histological abnormalities, (b) providing three adequate differential diagnoses, (c) selecting adequate chemistry analyses to rule in or rule out possible causes, (d) accurately detecting lead concentration in the liver, and (e) interpreting the diagnostic significance of their results correctly. Importantly, participants first had to determine which chemistry analyses were appropriate and then to accurately quantify the target analytes. This approach provided greater confidence in the diagnostic capability of the laboratory by reducing the bias associated with being given a known chemical contaminant for which to test, typical of most chemistry PTs, and may therefore be of interest to PT providers and accreditation committees.

Indexed as

Animal diagnosticAssessment of performanceInvestigation processLead toxicosisProficiency testing

Identifiers

PMID39989983
PMCPMC11847136

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.