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HbA1c: An Important Biomarker in diagnosis and prognosis of diabetes patients

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  One of the main purposes of laboratory tests is to aid medical reasoning after obtaining the clinical history and performing the physical examination by the laboratory team. To this end, all test execution phases, especially the pre-analytical phase, must be conducted following the technical rigor necessary to ensure patient safety and accurate results, so that the conduction of the patient's prognosis is more assertive. The measurement of HbA1c, when measured in whole blood, by immunoturbidimetric assay, in biochemical equipment from the XL family, such as the XL 200 equipment, plays an important role in the diagnosis of Diabetes. Diabetes is a global endemic with rapidly increasing prevalence in both developing and developed countries. The American Diabetes Association has recommended glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) as a possible substitute to fasting blood glucose for diagnosis of diabetes. HbA1c is an important indicator of long-term glycemic control with the ability to refle...
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Amorphous urates: What they are, diagnosis and treatment

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  Amorphous urates are a type of crystal that varies in colour from yellow to black, identified in the urine test. This can arise due to the cooling of the sample during packaging for transport or due to the acidic pH of the urine, with the values ​​being observed equal to or less than 5.5. Examination of abnormal urine elements and sediment (EAS) can be performed manually or automatically. Automated urinalysis devices available on the market are accurate, reproducible, faster and much less labor intensive (walk-away instruments) than standard manual microscopy. It can be run directly at patient-side without any further sample manipulation (e.g. refrigeration, centrifugation etc.). It has the potential to markedly reduce human factor from interpretation by consistently applying the same algorithm to the analysis of every sample. The Erba Laura XL is an automated device that performs three phases that make up the EAS, from the physical and chemical part to the sedimentoscopy/microsc...
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RDW: Definition and importance in blood test

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  RDW, acronym for Red Cell Distribution Width, is an index of erythrocyte anisocytosis and which represents the heterogeneity of distribution of the size of red blood cells. This size variation is called anisocytosis, and the value considered normal in adults and children varies between 11.6 and 14.5%. The RDW index is generally used to detect different types of anemia, because in the automated blood count, it represents the presence of anisocytosis or variation in the size of erythrocytes. Such an alteration can occur for several reasons, from anemia to the presence of chronic diseases, leukemia and use of medications. According to Bessman, et.al.; RDW may contribute to the differentiation between microcytic and hypochromic anemias. The evaluation should be done in conjunction with other indices such as MCV (Mean Corpuscular Volume), MCH (Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin), MCHC (Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration) and RDW. Various hematology analyzers such as the Erba 3/5 PDA s...
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Importance of Controls and Calibrators in a clinical analysis laboratory

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  Clinical analysis laboratories are a fundamental part of a health unit, as they directly contribute to the medical team to deliver reliable results for prevention, diagnosis, treatment and management of patients' diseases. The participation of a laboratory in the diagnosis is a process initiated from the pre-analytical phase. This involves preparation of the patient, collection and transport of the material to the laboratory unit; analytical phase, which begins with the processing of collected samples, according to the reliable results of its internal quality control (CIQ), verification of reagents and instruments, and finally the post-analytical phase, which consists of releasing the final report. Quality Control program The results of the CIQ (Internal Quality Control), expressed in biochemistry equipment, for example, need to be evaluated daily, to analyze the performance of the analytical system. However, in order not to have an examination result with an unacc...
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Biochemical liver markers

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  Liver function tests (also known as a liver panel) are blood tests that measure different enzymes, proteins, and other substances made by the liver. These tests check the overall health of your liver. Transasia offers a wide menu of test parameters in convenient pack sizes in powder and liquid stable formats as well as system packs for Erba range of fully automated analyzers. The use of serum biochemical tests plays an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of liver diseases. However, an isolated test provides limited information, which must be evaluated in the context of the patient's history and clinical condition. Biochemical liver tests consist of markers of hepatocellular injury (aminotransferases and alkaline phosphatase), liver metabolism tests (bilirubins), and liver synthetic function tests (serum albumin and prothrombin time [PT]).   Hepatic injury markers The liver contains a high concentration of enzymes, some of which are present in serum i...
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Overcome electrolytic analysis challenges with maintenance-free biosensor technology

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  Find out how to increase the accuracy and reduce the processing time of your routine electrolyte Electrolyte analyzers are routinely used in medical diagnostics to examine physiological conditions within the body. Hospitals and clinical laboratories, as well as treatment sites, rely on electrolyte analyzers to measure the concentration of different ions in the blood, providing important information about the body's electrolyte balance that can be used to detect metabolic imbalances, assess kidney and heart disease and contribute to the early detection of human diseases. However, despite their widespread use, electrolyte analyzers operating with traditional electrode technology are subject to a multitude of challenges, with the need for periodic replacement of electrodes, in particular. In this interview, we speak with Sourav Saha, Product Manager – Critical Care, to learn more about the issues facing clinical labs performing electrolyte analysis and how Erba EC 90, st...
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Bringing viral hepatitis out of the shadows!

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  WHO aims to achieve hepatitis elimination by 2030. But to get there, there is an urgent need to bring hepatitis care closer to communities. And for that to happen, WHO recommends early diagnosis to identify people who may be at an increased risk of infection Hepatitis, as we all know is an inflammation of the liver and can be caused due to alcohol abuse, medications, and certain medical conditions. However, hepatitis is often caused by a virus and is a matter of concern as it can lead to severe disease and liver cancer. Elimination of viral hepatitis – a global concern Did you know that viral hepatitis is three times more deadly than HIV and nine times more than malaria? It’s no wonder then that WHO is focusing its efforts to diagnosis, treat and prevent chronic viral hepatitis by bringing hepatitis care closer to the primary health facilities so that people get better access to early diagnosis and treatment. WHO aims to achieve hepatitis elimination by 2030. To get there, ...
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