Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) reflects hypersensitivity and an exaggerated immune response to Aspergillus fumigatus. ABPA typically occurs in individuals with airway diseases such as asthma or cystic fibrosis and is associated with worse outcomes for individuals with these conditions. Each year, physicians across the province of British Columbia submit over 2600 diagnostic testing requests to a centralized location in Vancouver, requiring specimen collection, storage, and shipment from different clinics across the province. Timely and reliable testing of Aspergillus precipitins is critical to optimizing diagnosis and management of ABPA. At our centre, we analyzed sample stability in varying storage conditions to provide guidance to those using this routine diagnostic test. To determine temperature and time stability, 31 serum specimens positive for Aspergillus fumigatus precipitins from routine clinical testing were each aliquoted and incubated at 4 and 37 °C. Samples were repeatedly assayed for precipitins to Aspergillus fumigatus via agarose gel double immunodiffusion (AGID) at 7, 14, and 28 days post-incubation. To determine freeze–thaw stability, 39 serum specimens submitted for routine clinical testing for Aspergillus precipitins were randomly selected. Each specimen was aliquoted and stored at 4 or −20 °C. 4 °C samples were maintained at 4 °C while −20 °C samples were split into three groups corresponding to one, two, or three freeze–thaw cycles. −20 °C samples were thawed at room temperature in the morning and then immediately frozen overnight for up to a total of three freeze–thaw cycles. Regarding temperature and time stability, median stability time was 47 and 34 days at 4 and 37 °C, respectively. The log-rank model indicates no statistically significant difference between the two temperature storage conditions (p = 0.14) with a hazard ratio of 0.61 (95% CI, 0.31–1.2). In terms of freeze–thaw stability, no indication of serum degradation with regards to Aspergillus fumigatus precipitins was found with repeated freeze–thaw cycles as compared to refrigerated storage. The stability of serum precipitins to Aspergillus fumigatus was found to be dependent on time, but not temperature and freeze–thaw cycles. Specimens for Aspergillus fumigatus precipitins testing should be shipped at ambient temperature and tested within 2 weeks from collection.

中文翻译：

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血清沉淀素对烟曲霉的稳定性用于诊断过敏性支气管肺曲霉病。

过敏性支气管肺曲霉病 (ABPA) 反映了对烟曲霉的超敏反应和过度的免疫反应。ABPA 通常发生在患有气道疾病（例如哮喘或囊性纤维化）的个体中，并且与患有这些疾病的个体的预后更差有关。每年，不列颠哥伦比亚省的医生都会向温哥华的一个集中地点提交超过 2600 份诊断测试请求，需要从全省不同诊所收集、储存和运送样本。及时可靠地检测曲霉沉淀素对于优化 ABPA 的诊断和管理至关重要。在我们的中心，我们分析了不同储存条件下的样品稳定性，为那些使用这种常规诊断测试的人提供指导。为了确定温度和时间稳定性，将来自常规临床测试的 31 个烟曲霉沉淀素阳性的血清样本分别等分并在 4 和 37 °C 下孵育。在孵育后 7、14 和 28 天，通过琼脂糖凝胶双重免疫扩散 (AGID) 重复测定样品对烟曲霉的沉淀素。为了确定冻融稳定性，随机选择了 39 份提交用于曲霉沉淀素常规临床测试的血清样本。将每个样本等分并储存在 4 或 -20 °C 下。4 °C 样品保持在 4 °C，而 -20 °C 样品分为三组，对应于一个、两个或三个冻融循环。-20 °C 样品早上在室温下解冻，然后立即冷冻过夜，总共最多三个冻融循环。关于温度和时间稳定性，在 4°C 和 37°C 下，中位稳定时间分别为 47 天和 34 天。对数秩模型表明两种温度储存条件（p = 0.14）之间没有统计学上的显着差异，风险比为 0.61（95% CI，0.31-1.2）。在冻融稳定性方面，与冷藏储存相比，在反复冻融循环中没有发现关于烟曲霉沉淀素的血清降解迹象。发现血清沉淀素对烟曲霉的稳定性取决于时间，而不是温度和冻融循环。用于烟曲霉沉淀素测试的样品应在环境温度下运输，并在采集后 2 周内进行测试。对数秩模型表明两种温度储存条件（p = 0.14）之间没有统计学上的显着差异，风险比为 0.61（95% CI，0.31-1.2）。在冻融稳定性方面，与冷藏储存相比，在反复冻融循环中没有发现关于烟曲霉沉淀素的血清降解迹象。发现血清沉淀素对烟曲霉的稳定性取决于时间，而不是温度和冻融循环。用于烟曲霉沉淀素测试的样品应在环境温度下运输，并在采集后 2 周内进行测试。对数秩模型表明两种温度储存条件（p = 0.14）之间没有统计学上的显着差异，风险比为 0.61（95% CI，0.31-1.2）。在冻融稳定性方面，与冷藏储存相比，在反复冻融循环中没有发现关于烟曲霉沉淀素的血清降解迹象。发现血清沉淀素对烟曲霉的稳定性取决于时间，而不是温度和冻融循环。用于烟曲霉沉淀素测试的样品应在环境温度下运输，并在采集后 2 周内进行测试。与冷藏相比，在反复冻融循环中没有发现关于烟曲霉沉淀素的血清降解迹象。发现血清沉淀素对烟曲霉的稳定性取决于时间，而不是温度和冻融循环。用于烟曲霉沉淀素测试的样品应在环境温度下运输，并在采集后 2 周内进行测试。与冷藏相比，在反复冻融循环中没有发现关于烟曲霉沉淀素的血清降解迹象。发现血清沉淀素对烟曲霉的稳定性取决于时间，而不是温度和冻融循环。用于烟曲霉沉淀素测试的样品应在环境温度下运输，并在采集后 2 周内进行测试。