EKF launches pocket-sized lactate monitor for sports performance monitoring at MEDICA 2018

EKF Diagnostics, a global in vitro diagnostics company, announces that it will launch its new Lactate Scout 4 handheld lactate analyzer on Stand C70 in Hall 3 of MEDICA 2018, enabling fast and accurate monitoring of sports performance. Lactate Scout 4 is designed for use in the field as a training companion for individuals or sports teams and will be demonstrated to delegates attending the co-located MEDICA MEDICINE + SPORTS conference.

Alongside the new Lactate Scout 4, EKF will showcase its comprehensive range of products for point-of-care (POC) testing, including solutions for diabetes, anemia, and maternal care. Product highlights include the recently FDA-cleared DiaSpect Tm hemoglobin analyzer and Quo-Lab® HbA1c analyzer, which was successfully evaluated in a study by the European Reference Laboratory for Glycohemoglobin and published in the Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology.

For both sports training and personal fitness measurement, lactate helps define workout intensities for maximum fat catabolism, increased endurance, and avoiding critical overexhaustion. The use of Lactate Scout 4 will support coaches and athletes in rapidly determining optimal training programs, defining training zones, and avoiding inefficient training regimens. The new analyzer is ideal for field training, as it is pocket-sized, weighing just 60g, and features simple push-button navigation and an e-paper screen that can be easily read in any lighting condition. Lactate Scout 4 is quick and straightforward, requiring no calibration and returning a result in 10 seconds with just a 0.2 µl capillary blood sample.

The functionality of the Lactate Scout 4 is further enhanced by Bluetooth® connectivity to all major brands of heart rate monitors. Heart rate data can now be collected and collated using the step test function to provide an in-depth performance analysis. Up to 500 lactate results can also be stored on the device, all compensating for the influence of low and high hematocrit levels. Enhancing its practicality and reliability, the Lactate Scout 4 can conduct 1,000 tests using just two CR2450 lithium batteries.

Visitors to EKF’s stand will also learn more about its other hand-held devices, such as the DiaSpect Tm hemoglobin analyzer for rapid anemia screening. Earlier this year, DiaSpect Tm received U.S. FDA 510(k) clearance and a CLIA waiver for use in point-of-care (POC) settings, such as physicians’ offices, clinics, and other non-traditional laboratory locations. DiaSpect Tm is very user-friendly, requiring minimal training to deliver accurate hemoglobin measurements (precision: CV ≤1%) within two seconds from a whole-blood sample.

In addition, EKF will highlight its point-of-care analyzers and reagents for diabetes care. These include the Quo-Lab® and Quo-Test® glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) analyzers, which are designed to deliver results traceable to the IFCC reference method within just four minutes. Both analysers have been demonstrated to provide lab-accurate HbA1c results from fingerprick or venous whole blood in recent evaluation studies [1,2] conducted by the European Reference Laboratory for Glycohemoglobin.

For complete information on EKF Diagnostics and its point-of-care and central laboratory products, please visit Stand C70 in Hall 3 of MEDICA 2018, Düsseldorf, Germany, 12- 15 November 2018, or see www.ekfdiagnostics.com

References:

• [1] Lenters-Westra, E. & English, E. Evaluation of four HbA1c point-of-care devices using international quality targets: Are they fit for purpose? J Diabetes Sci Technol. 2018 Jul;12(4):762-770.
• [2] Lenters-Westra, E. & English, E. Understanding the use of sigma metrics in hemoglobin A1c analysis. Clin Lab Med 2017;37: 57-71.