Beta-Hydroxybutyrate LiquiColor®

Quantitative and quick test for ketosis

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OverviewSpecificationResourcesSupport Documents
Beta Hydroxybutyrate LiquiColor® is a rapid, quantitative method for detecting and monitoring ketosis.

As the predominant ketone during metabolic disturbance, β-Hydroxybutyrate (B-HB) provides the clearest indication of a patient’s clinical status, making it the preferred biomarker for diagnosing and tracking diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), as well as monitoring ketosis across a range of other conditions, including alcoholism and glycogen storage diseases.

Trusted by over 1,100 hospitals across the USA, Beta-Hydroxybutyrate LiquiColor® is recognized for its accuracy, stability, and diagnostic reliability. Its liquid‑stable, ready‑to‑use formulation allows seamless operation on most open‑channel clinical chemistry analyzers, supporting high‑throughput workflows in hospital laboratories.

Beta-Hydroxybutyrate LiquiColor® supports clinical decision‑making across several metabolic conditions, including:

  • Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), where it is the gold‑standard biomarker for diagnosis and monitoring during treatment;
  • Ketosis evaluation in fasting, low‑carb diets, metabolic disorders, and alcohol‑related ketoacidosis;
  • Critical Care monitoring where rapid metabolic assessment influences therapeutic intervention.

With its proven analytical performance, extensive clinical validation, and widespread adoption across US hospitals, Beta-Hydroxybutyrate LiquiColor® is the preferred ketone testing method for both routine use and high‑acuity environments. Its open‑channel compatibility, speed, and accuracy make it a powerful tool for any lab seeking to optimize ketosis monitoring and improve patient outcomes.

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Why Measure β-Hydroxybutyrate?

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a serious complication of diabetes that occurs when the body lacks enough insulin to use glucose for energy, causing it to break down fat instead. This process produces ketones, which can build up to dangerous levels in the blood. Symptoms include rapid breathing, dry skin, fruity breath, nausea, vomiting, stomach or abdominal pain, fatigue, and increased thirst or urination. DKA can be an early sign of undiagnosed type 1 diabetes or occur due to infection, missed insulin doses, or severe illness. While it is most strongly addociated with type 1 diabetes, DKA is not uncommon in type 2 diabetes, and is often triggered by amajor health stress condition.

During ketosis, β-Hydroxybutyrate (B-HB), rises to substantially higher levels than acetoacetate or acetone—reaching concentrations 3 to 10 times that of acetoacetate during DKA–making blood β-HB measurement the most sensitive and specific method for detecting and monitoring ketoacidosis compared to urine ketone testing. Unlike traditional nitroprussideurine tests – which detect only acetoacetate (and give only a weak reaction to acetone, with no reaction to β-hydroxybutyrate) – β‑HB measurement provides an objective, quantitative result that reliably reflects real-time metabolic trends and treatment response. As DKA resolves, B‑HB levels decrease predictably, enabling clinicians to monitor patient improvement with clarity and precision.

B-HB LiquiColor® Assay is a quantitative, quick and simple test for ketosis

Key Features & Benefits:

  • Quantitative accuracy for early detection and monitoring of ketosis
  • Diagnostic grade precision, sensitivity, and monitoring tool
  • FDA-Cleared Method
  • Industry Leading Performance
  • Made in the United States
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Frequently Asked Questions:

What is the application of the Beta-Hydroxybutyrate LiquiColor® test?
Who would use the Beta-Hydroxybutyrate LiquiColor® test and why?
Why is the Beta-Hydroxybutyrate LiquiColor® test important?

Specification

  • Measurement range: β-ketone: 0.18 to 8.0 mmol/L
  • Calibration Type: Single-point calibration
  • Sample Type: Serum or Plasma
  • Sample Volume: Varies by Analyzer
  • Equipment: Any Open channel Analyzer (request for application sheet)

Useful Links

  1. American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists
  2. American Diabetes Association

Keynote speaker videos

  1. Title: β-Hydroxybutyrate – Uses in the ICU Especially in the Setting of DKA
    Presented by: Mark. H Oltermann MD
    Location: JPS Physician Group, John Peter Smith Hospital, Fort Worth, Texas
    https://cnpg.comparenetworks.com/163280-Beta-Hydroxybutyrate-Uses-in-the-ICU/?arev=true
  2. Title: The Value Efficacy and Efficiency of β-Hydroxybutyrate
    Presented by: James. H Nichols, PhD, DABCC, FACB
    Location: The 2012 Clinical Lab Expo in Los Angeles
    https://cnpg.comparenetworks.com/117798-The-Value-Efficacy-and-Efficiency-of-B-Hydroxybutyrate/
  3. Title: Metabolic Disturbances that Lead to β-Hydroxybutyrate and Ketone Bodies
    Presented by: James. H Nichols, PhD, DABCC, FACB
    Location: Pathology Grand Rounds at mid-west medical school
    https://cnpg.comparenetworks.com/128168-Metabolic-Disturbances-that-Lead-to-hydroxybutyrate-and-Ketone-Bodies/

Clinical references

  1. Savage MW, Dhatariya KK, Kilvert A, Rayman G, Rees JA, Courtney CH, et al. Joint British Diabetes Societies guideline for the management of diabetic ketoacidosis. Diabet Med. May 2011;28(5):508-15. [Medline].
  2. Joint British Diabetes Societies Inpatient Care Group. The Management of Diabetic Ketoacidosis in Adults. March 2010. Available at http://www.diabetes.nhs.uk/document.php?o=1336. Accessed June 27, 2011.
  3. Wallace TM, Matthews DR. Recent advances in the monitoring and management of diabetic ketoacidosis. QJM. Dec 2004;97(12):773-80. [Medline].
  4. Timmons JA, Myer P, Maturen A, et al. Use of beta-hydroxybutyric acid levels in the emergency department. Am J Ther. May 1998;5(3):159-63. [Medline].
  5. Taboulet P, Haas L, Porcher R, et al: Urinary acetoacetate or capillary beta-hydroxybutyrate for the diagnosis of ketoacidosis in the Emergency Department setting. Eur J Emerg Med 2004; 11(5):251-258.
  6. Carragher FM, Bonham JR, & Smith JM: Pitfalls in the measurement of some intermediary metabolites.. Ann Clin Biochem 2003; 40(4):313-320.
  7. Arora S, Henderson SO, Long T, Menchine M. Diagnostic Accuracy of Point-of- Care Testing for Diabetic Ketoacidosis at Emergency-Department Triage: {beta}-Hydroxybutyrate versus the urine dipstick. Diabetes Care. Apr 2011;34(4):852-4. [Medline]. [Full Text].
  8. Arora S, Henderson SO, Long T, Menchine M. Diagnostic Accuracy of Point-of- Care Testing for Diabetic Ketoacidosis at Emergency-Department Triage: {beta}-Hydroxybutyrate versus the urine dipstick. Diabetes Care. Apr 2011;34(4):852-4. [Medline]. [Full Text].
  9. Menchine M, Probst MA, Agy C, Bach D, Arora S. Diagnostic accuracy of venousblood gas electrolytes for identifying diabetic ketoacidosis in the emergency department. Acad Emerg Med. 20 Oct;18(10):1105-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1553-2712.2011.01158.x. Epub 2011 Sep 26. PubMed PMID: 21951652.
  10. Laffel L. Ketone bodies: a review of physiology, pathophysiology and application of monitoring to diabetes. Diabetes Metab Res Rev. 1999 Nov-Dec;15(6):412- 26. Review. PubMed PMID: 10634967.
  11. Lone SW, Siddiqui EU, Muhammed F, Atta I, Ibrahim MN, Raza J. Frequency, clinical characteristics and outcome of diabetic ketoacidosis in children with type-1 diabetes at a tertiary care hospital. J Pak Med Assoc. 2010 Sep;60(9):725-9. PubMed PMID: 21381577.
  12. Goldstein DE, Little RR, Lorenz RA, Malone JI, Nathan DM, Peterson CM. Tests of glycemia in diabetes Technical review, Diabetes Care. 1995;18(6):896-909.

 

Beta-Hydroxybutyrate LiquiColor®: Datasheet (EN US MK-0009.01 09.2025)
Download
β-Hydroxybutyrate Flyer for Physicians (EN US RSS0070.01 10.2016)
Download
A Guide to Ketosis and β-Hydroxybutyrate (EN US RSG0002.05 02.2019)
Download

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