This short review aims to put the diagnostic options provided by state-of-the-art POCT  technology into perspective with the clinical challenges faced by physicians treating patients presenting with acute dyspnea.  Natriuretic peptides, hemoglobin, D-dimers and venous blood gases play a key role in the early...

Sampling capillary blood from the fetal scalp during labor of pregnancy, in order to determine its pH, was introduced to obstetric care in the late 1960s.  Despite current skepticism surrounding its utility, most notably in the US, fetal-scalp blood sampling (FSBS) is still considered a useful fetal monitoring test...

Circulating concentrations of the hormone brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and its precursor molecule, NT-proBNP are increased in those with heart failure. This has allowed a now established role for serum BNP and NT-proBNP testing in the investigation of patients presenting with shortness of breath, a cardinal symptom ...

It is mandated that clinical laboratory staff should identify patient results that are grossly abnormal and have critical significance, so that clinical care staff can be informed immediately. Most laboratories have a policy of repeating the analysis before reporting such critical values in order to confirm that the...

Acute pancreatitis, i.e. acute inflammation of the pancreas, causes sudden onset of severe upper abdominal pain often radiating to the back. Other symptoms include vomiting, constipation and pyrexia. Two main causes - alcohol abuse and gall stone disease – account for the majority (~80 %) of cases. The condition has a ...

Increased blood glucose (hyperglycemia) is a common finding among patients with acute medical conditions or trauma that warrant admission to medical wards or intensive care. In some cases this hyperglycemia is due to previously diagnosed type 1 or type 2 diabetes, but for the majority it is a consequence of the stress ...

Point-of-care pathology testing is becoming increasingly common in hospitals, clinics and doctors’ offices; anywhere where time is critical and results are required at the patient’s side.  However, results must be accurate and reproducible to be meaningful, and it is imperative that a close eye is kept on...

Bilirubin is a waste product of hemoglobin catabolism that is excreted via the liver in bile.  Abnormal accumulation of this yellow pigment in blood results in jaundice. For adults and children, increased serum bilirubin and resulting jaundice is most commonly a signal of liver or biliary-tract disease; whilst for...

Those who have been resuscitated from cardiac arrest may benefit from mechanical-ventilation strategies aimed at maintaining pCO₂ above the normal (reference) range, 35-45 mmHg (4.7-6.0 kPa). This is the headline finding of recently published research from the FINNRESCUI study group, a collaboration of Finnish...

Since the inception of blood gas analysis, heparin has been the anticoagulant of choice for preparation of samples. Historically, syringes used to collect arterial blood for gas analysis were prepared ”in house” by aspirating a small volume of liquid heparin (LH) and then expelling it. The thin film of liquid heparin...