TECHNOLOGY SHOWCASE Next-generation blood separation technology
The BD Vacutainer Barricor tube is a single- use plastic evacuated tube used to collect, separate, transport and process venous blood specimens to obtain high-quality plasma for in vitro diagnostic use. The design complements BD Vacutainer evacuated blood collection tubes, and continues the BD heritage of ensuring best practice in the collection, transportation and processing of blood samples. The BD Barricor tubes are optimised to
deliver a high-quality plasma sample by reducing cellular content (vs. plasma gel tubes) as a result of the mechanical separator remaining open throughout the centrifugation cycle. It also eliminates gel artefacts that can lead to instrument downtime. These factors, together with
generation Thrombin generation systems have been available in the research environment for many years but transition to the routine clinical setting had previously not been achieved. The ST Genesia, now available from Stago, offers the first fully automated, standardised system for investigation of thrombin generation with CE IVD-marked applications. At last year’s IBMS Biomedical Science Congress, the company focused on what ST Genesia offers and how new clinical applications can improve patient management.
www.stago-uk.com
Investigating thrombin
longer sample stability, can significantly improve the sample and laboratory workflow. The BD Barricor tubes deliver a faster
timetoresult for patients, with no clotting time required and a reduction in centrifugation time of up to seven minutes, an overall saving in turnaround time of 37 minutes is possible. “Laboratory staff are forced to choose between a clean sample with serum and a fast sample with plasma,” said Mike Fairbourn (Vice President and General Manager, UK and Ireland at BD). “BD Barricor tubes eliminate this trade-off, providing a cleaner and faster plasma sample than current methods.” The new BD Vacutainer Barricor plasma
blood collection tube has a revolutionary separator technology, providing a cleaner
plasma sample with less cellular contamination, meaning the sample is more stable and allows a longer window to conduct testing when compared to existing blood separation tubes.
www.bd.com
Multi-analyte liquid cerebrospinal fluid control and RIQAS programme
The rapid analysis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is essential for the prompt diagnosis of diseases such as meningitis or a cerebral bleed, which, if undiagnosed, could have huge implications for the patient. Randox Laboratories has developed the Acusera Liquid CSF Control, removing the need for thawing or reconstitution to reduce the amount of preparation time required when carrying out these tests. The Acusera Liquid CSF Control,
a dedicated multi-analyte liquid CSF control, has been manufactured with user convenience in mind, delivering 15 key analytes with a 30-day open-vial stability in
a liquid, ready-to-use format and offers the following advantages: liquid ready-to- use samples requiring no preparation; human-based material, true third-party control providing unbiased performance assessment; assayed target values available; shelf life of two years from the date of manufacture; and open-vial stability of 30 days for all analytes when stored at 2˚C to 8˚C. Complementing the CSF quality control
is the company’s new RIQAS Cerebrospinal Fluid Programme, which has liquid ready- to-use samples covering the full range of clinically relevant decision levels.
www.randoxqc.com
Placental growth factor: a new pre-eclampsia test
Hypertensive disorders like pre-eclampsia currently affect approximately 13.5% of pregnancies in the UK. It is estimated that as many as 80,000 pregnant women are investigated for suspected pre-eclampsia each year, and the introduction of a new test from Roche Diagnostics could reduce hospitalisation by 50%. Previous treatment guidelines have recommended that all women presenting with hypertension and proteinuria be admitted to hospital for monitoring, although most would not go on to develop pre-eclampsia. This unnecessary hospitalisation causes undue stress and anxiety for mothers, as well as significant costs to hospitals and the NHS. The new assay allows healthcare
professionals to conduct a simple blood test, to determine whether an individual patient will develop pre-eclampsia over the next week. With 99.3% accuracy, women deemed
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not at risk could safely return to community care, instead of being admitted to hospital for further observations. Within the updated guidance, clinicians
and midwives are now advised to use the Elecsys immunoassay sFlt1:PlGF ratio to measure the levels of placental growth factor (PlGF) in the blood. PlGF is a protein involved in the development of new blood vessels in the placenta, and levels of PlGF can be abnormally low in pre-eclampsia. The ratio also measures soluble FMS-like tyrosine kinase1 (sFlt1), a protein thought to disable proteins associated with blood vessel formation, such as PlGF. In women who develop pre-eclampsia, the
levels of sFlt1 have been shown to be higher than those seen in normal pregnancy. The sFlt1:PlGF ratio has shown better diagnostic ability compared to either biomarker alone.
www.roche.com
Hypertrophic decidual vasculopathy, a finding seen in gestational hypertension and pre-eclampsia.
AUGUST 2016 THE BIOMEDICAL SCIENTIST
Nephron
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