EKF Diagnostics publishes Anemia and Hemoglobin Testing Guide

EKF Diagnostics announces the publication of its new guide, Anemia and hemoglobin testing [1]. Available to download for free from ekfdiagnostics.com, the in-depth hematology guide provides a review of the symptoms and causes of anemia, methods for testing hemoglobin and hematocrit, and factors that may influence these measurements.

Anemia is the most common blood disorder, affecting around 25% of the global population. It can be caused by poor nutrition or various diseases. Anemia is a condition in which the number of red blood cells or the availability of hemoglobin falls below the body’s physiological needs. Consequently, hemoglobin and hematocrit are the main blood tests to diagnose anemia. In addition, pre-donation hemoglobin testing is integral to blood donor health assessment in many countries.

Since anemia reduces an individual’s well-being, physical productivity, and work performance, timely treatment can restore personal health and raise national productivity levels by as much as 20% in developing countries, as observed by the WHO [2]. Notably, Anemia also contributes to 20% of all maternal deaths [2], meaning that many countries conduct interventions during pregnancy to reduce anemia and its adverse effects.

A variety of methodologies can measure hemoglobin and hematocrit. In particular, point-of-care (POC) testing in hematology has grown in popularity, with hemoglobin measurement now the most commonly used parameter in POC hematology [3].

“As specialists in this area of POC testing, we have published this guide to share our knowledge and demonstrate our commitment to making blood donation and anemia screening easier, more affordable, and more accessible than ever before,” said Katja Lemburg, EKF Diagnostics’ Global Product Manager for Hematology. “Our diagnostic analyzers and tests deliver fast and reliable results for hemoglobin and hematocrit that give practitioners and patients the information they need to make clinical or lifestyle decisions in seconds.”

EKF’s range of hemoglobin analyzers includes Hemo Control, which uses the ‘gold standard’ azide methemoglobin method to deliver results in 25 seconds, and DiaSpect Tm, which uses a reagentless cuvette to provide results in just about one second. Its specialist hematocrit analyzer is the UltraCrit™ Plus, which, uniquely, uses ultrasound to measure hematocrit with a high degree of accuracy within 30 seconds. HemataStat II™ is a microhematocrit centrifuge that provides quantitative readings for multiple samples, which is perfect for laboratories or even veterinary use.

References:

• [1] http://workshop.fluidbook.com/viewer/ 14091_4ce791664036d9927a1d9ba44bc7a5af_1450197526/.
• [2] http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/ida/en/ Access date: 24/07/2015.
• [3] Where are we at with point-of-care testing in haematology? Briggs C et al., British Journal of Haematology, 2012, 158, 679-690.