EKF Publishes Guide to Good Capillary Blood Sampling

Incorrect capillary blood sampling is most common reason for inaccurate POC hemoglobin results

        

Cardiff, UK – 3^rd July 2018 – EKF Diagnostics, the global in vitro diagnostics company, has published an Educational Guide which provides a quick overview of capillary blood sampling best practice. It aims to help health care professionals understand common causes of pre-analytical errors and reduce their impact on hemoglobin results. Entitled ‘Capillary sampling and its relevance for correct hemoglobin results,’ the new Guide is available to download from EKF Diagnostics’ website.

 

Capillary blood (fingerstick) sampling is increasingly being used worldwide due to the growing availability of point-of-care (POC) testing. With anemia affecting about 25% of the global population and a much higher prevalence in developing countries, hemoglobin is the most frequently performed test in POC hematology. It is also used routinely by blood collection services to ensure safe donations.

 

Notably, hemoglobin (Hb) values are among the parameters most prone to being affected by pre-analytical errors. Incorrect capillary blood sampling being the most common reason for inaccurate POC hemoglobin results. So, in order to avoid generating variant and misleading Hb results, health care personnel drawing blood must adhere to strict and standardized blood sampling techniques. This ensures accurate and consistent POCT results that are comparable to laboratory techniques.

As well as discussing the reasons behind the vital importance of good capillary blood sampling, the new guide provides easy step-by-step instructions on best practice capillary sampling. These present a simple visual explanation based on published detailed guidelines from the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute and the World Health Organization (WHO) with specific considerations added for hemoglobin testing.

 

EKF’s new capillary sampling guide can be viewed and downloaded at: https://www.ekfdiagnostics.com/capillary-blood-sampling.html.

 

For full information on the EKF Diagnostics Group, please visit www.ekfdiagnostics.com

 

About EKF Diagnostics - www.ekfdiagnostics.com or www.ekfusa.com  

EKF Diagnostics Holdings plc, which includes the EKF Diagnostics, Stanbio Laboratory and DiaSpect brands, specializes in the development, production and worldwide distribution of point-of-care analyzers for use in the detection and management of diabetes and anemia, and also in sports and maternal medicine. EKF products are sold in more than 100 countries around the globe, through a network of specialist distributors.

 

Point-of-care diagnostics: EKF Diagnostics designs and manufactures world-class diagnostic devices, as well as distributing rapid test kits for infectious diseases and pregnancy. The EKF analyzer range is used widely in GP surgeries, pharmacies, blood banks, sports clinics, hospitals and laboratories for glucose, lactate, hemoglobin, hematocrit and HbA1c measurement.

 

Central laboratory: EKF, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Stanbio Laboratory (Boerne, Texas, USA), manufactures a comprehensive range of clinical chemistry reagents, as well as associated analyzers. In addition, EKF Life Sciences (Elkhart, Indiana, USA) manufactures enzymes used in reagent development and also provides contract fermentation facilities.