Lesson 7:

Special
Collections and
Point-of-care
Testing
Presented by:
CHARMAINE GELLIEANN R. MAGSINO, RMT
Faculty, Medical Technology Department
Learning Outcomes:
1. Analyze the purpose of each special collection procedure, the steps
involved, and special supplies or equipment required
2. Illustrate proper patient identification and specimen labeling
procedures required for blood bank tests and types of specimens
typically required
3. Describe proper donor identification, blood unit labeling, and post-
collection handling procedures
4. Discuss the sterile technique in blood culture collection, its
importance, and reasons why physicians order blood culture
5. Identify coagulation specimens and their proper collection and
handling
6. Expound chain of custody procedures in Drug Testing
7. Explain TDM
8. Explain the principle of POCT
Special Collection Procedures
• are non-routine laboratory tests that may not only
involve additional preparation and procedure, but may
require other specimen such as urine or feces. These
can be applied for special cases such as blood donation.
 Name of Test
Blood Bank: Blood type & Screen
Blood Bank: Crossmatch test
Blood Culture
Coagulation test
2-hour Postprandial glucose
Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT) and Diagnose problems in carbohydrate metabolism
Oral Glucose Tolerance Test
(OGTT)
Lactose Tolerance Test
Paternity/Parentage Testing
Therapeutic Drug Monitoring
Therapeutic Phlebotomy
Toxicology test
Trace elements
Purpose
Determines the blood type and Rh factor
Checks the compatibility of the blood between the
donor and the recipient
Determines the presence of infection, identifies the
type organism involved and measure the extent of
infection.
Evaluates the blood clotting function
Screening for diabetes and other metabolic
disorders
and checks the ability to metabolize glucose thru
the tolerance level
Determine the lack of mucosal lactase which is
responsible for conversion of lactose into glucose.
Verifies the probability that the patient fathered a
particular child.
Tests the drug levels at specific interval to establish
proper drug dosage and avoid toxicity.
Used as treatment to polycythemia and
hemochromatosis
Checks the presence of toxins in the blood, hair,
urine, and other substances
Checks for presence of aluminum, arsenic, copper,
lead, iron, and zinc
Special Requirement (if any)
None
Patient's serum or plasma and donor's RBCs
Blood volume should be 20 to 30 mL per culture with a minimum
of 10 mL per draw for patients weighing more than 80 pounds.
For infants it should be only 1 to 4% of the total blood volume.
Micro clots are avoided by gently inverting anticoagulants tubes
three or four times from collection.
Must be obtained 2 hours after meal
1 hour for gestational diabetes and 3 hours for other glucose
metabolism evaluation.
Same procedure as 2-hour GTT but an equal amount of lactose
is substituted for glucose.
Follows the chain-of custody protocol and specific identification
procedures.
Collection timing should include the peak and trough level.
Involves withdrawal of approximately 500 mL as part of the
treatment.
Toxins usually exist in very small amounts
Measured in small amounts
Blood Bank Specimens
• is important in determining which blood product can be safely used for
blood transfusion
• Specimen: Packed Red Blood Cells and Plasma from EDTA tube
(lavender-top or pink-top) or serum from Non-additive tube (Red-top)
• The following information in blood bank labeling includes:
• Full name including middle initial
• Hospital ID Number
• Social Security Number for outpatients
• Date of Birth
• Date & time of collection
• Initials of the phlebotomist
*Note: Room number and bed number is optional
 Special Identification Systems used in Blood Bank

Patient Identification
Blood ID Bracelet Blood ID Band Check-Blood Administration
Laboratory Tests done in the Blood Bank
• Blood Typing (ABO type and Rh factor)
• Blood Screening for Infectious Diseases (HIV, Hepatitis B,
Hepatitis C, Syphilis, Malaria)
• Crossmatching (compatibility testing between patient and
donor’s blood by mixing patient’s plasma or serum and donor’s
RBC)
Blood Donor Collection
• Done mainly for the purpose of blood transfusion
• Blood donated by volunteers
• Phlebotomists should have undergone special training
Blood Donor Requirements
• Should be 17 to 66 years old
• Minimum weight of 110 lbs.
• Medically fit to donate (obtained through donor interview)
• Note: all donor data (documentation purposes) are confidential
and contain written permission from the donor; all blood
components of a unit must be traceable as part of the look-back
program
Blood Component Therapy
• Blood units can be separated into: RBC, plasma, and platelets
• Look-back program – blood recipients are notified when donor’s
blood unit has been diagnosed positive for disease, the blood
components are then verified and retrieved

Autologous Donation
• Patients donate blood for their own use, especially for elective
surgeries
• Eliminates risks associated with blood transfusion
• Written permission is obtained from the physician, then blood can be
collected within a minimum of 72 hours from surgery schedule
Cell Salvaging
• Blood of the patient is salvaged (during surgical procedure), washed,
and reinfused after testing for residual hemoglobin
• Salvaged blood needs to be tested prior to reinfusion because a high
free hemoglobin level means that too many RBCs were destroyed
during salvage process, therefore reinfusion is not recommended
since it will result in renal dysfunction
Sterile Technique in Blood Culture
Blood Culture
• is a test that checks the blood for pathogens in patients who have a
fever of unknown origin (FUO)
• determines the presence of bacteria in the blood that causes
bacteremia or the presence of microorganism and toxins in the
blood that causes septicemia
• The physician orders this test only if there is a probability of
bloodstream invasion. Since the test identifies and determines the
responsible organism and the extent of the infection, the best
antibiotic could be prescribed.
Sterile Technique in Blood Culture
Blood Culture
• For optimum results, the collection
should have 2-4 blood culture sets
placed in special bottles, one
aerobic (with air) and one
anaerobic (without air), that were
drawn 30 to 60 minutes apart.
Sterile Technique in Blood Culture
Blood Culture
• Skin antisepsis is crucial in the blood collection procedure because it
prevents the contamination by microbial flora in the skin which can be
introduced in blood culture bottles and affect the results.
• Antiseptics used: betadine swab sticks, chloraprep, PVP ampule,
Frepp/Sepp II, and Benzalkonium chloride.
• To minimize the risk, friction rub of the collection sites are performed for
about 30 to 60 seconds using tincture of iodine, chlorhexidine
gluconate, and a povidone/70% ethyl alcohol combination.
Blood Culture Collection Procedure
1. The patient should be properly identified, and the collection procedure
should be explained clearly.
2. Select the venipuncture site and release the tourniquet within 60
seconds.
3. Assemble the equipment and make sure to follow proper aseptic
technique.
4. Perform the friction rub for about 60 seconds.
5. Wait for 30 seconds to allow the site to dry.
6. Open the culture bottle by removing the flip-off cap while checking the
same for defects. Bottle should draw at least 8cc and should be in date.
7. Clean the bottle stopper while waiting for the site to dry.
Blood Culture Collection Procedure
8. Check the fill lines on the bottle to determine the minimum and
maximum level of the bottle.
9. Tourniquet should be reapplied and perform the venipuncture. Make
sure that the site is not touched.
10. Inoculate the medium.
11. To mix the blood with the medium, invert the bottle a couple of times.
12. If iodine is used in the arm, the patient's skin should be cleaned.
13. Observe proper labeling procedures. Make sure to include information
about the site where the blood was collected.
14. Discard used and contaminated materials properly.
Blood Culture Collection Procedure
15. Courteously thank the patient. Remove the gloves and decontaminate
the hands with hand sanitizer.
16. Transport the specimen promptly to the laboratory for analysis and
processing.
Media Inoculation Methods for Blood Culture
There are three ways to inoculate the medium:
(1) directly into the bottle (during collection),
(2) collected in a syringe (after collection),
(3) through an intermediate collection tube (in the laboratory)
Media Inoculation Methods for Blood Culture
Direct Inoculation - a butterfly and specially designed holder is used.
The holder is connected to the Luer connector of the butterfly collection
set. The aerobic vial is filled first and each container is mixed after
removal from the holder. The needle is removed after completing the
collection and the safety device is activated as pressure is applied over the
site.
Media Inoculation Methods
Syringe Method - blood is transferred to the culture bottles after
completing the draw using a safety transfer device which is activated as
soon as the needle is removed from the site. Attach the safety transfer
device to the syringe. Push the bottle into the device until it reaches the
stopper. The blood will be drawn from the syringe filling the vacuum in the
container. The bottle should be placed in a solid surface or in a rack.
Media Inoculation Methods
Intermediate Collection Tube - is performed in the laboratory rather
than the patient's bedside. However, this is not recommended because
the sodium polyanetholesulfonate (SPS) in collection tubes increases
concentration when added to the blood culture bottles. Moreover, the
transfer of blood increases the risk of contamination and exposure of
laboratory staff. However, if it could not be avoided, the yellow-top SPS
tube is acceptable for collection purposes.
Coagulation Specimens
- Used to assess blood clotting functions (tests:
PT, APTT, TT)
- The integrity of the blood specimen during
collection and transportation has a direct effect
on the test result, thus, special care should be
taken to ensure that it is done properly.
Specimen Collection Procedure:
1. If only the coagulation specimen is drawn,
draw a "clear" tube with 1-2 mL which is
discarded prior to collection. The blood specimen
is then collected using a light blue top with 3.2%
citrate tube with the correct (9:1) blood-to-
coagulant ratio.
2. To ensure proper mixing, invert the tubes gently 3 to 4 times
immediately after collection.
3. When an evacuated tube system is used, collect the coagulation
sample secondarily.
4. If the specimen is collected using an indwelling catheter, draw and
discard 3 mL of blood before collecting the specimen. When heparin is
introduced to the line, flush with 5 ml saline before drawing the discard
blood and collect the specimen.
5. Adjust the concentration of the sodium citrate for patients with above
55% hematocrit values.
6. Transport the collected specimen to the laboratory immediately.
Should the specimen be unable to reach the laboratory within four
hours, it should be centrifuged and the plasma frozen.
2-hour Postprandial Glucose (2-hour PP)
- checks if patient suffers from diabetes; used to monitor insulin therapy
Procedure:
1. Patient is on a high-carbohydrate diet 2 to 3 days prior to the test.
2. The patient should fast for at least 10 hours before the test.
3. Fasting glucose specimen may be collected before the start of the
procedure.
4. A special breakfast containing an equivalent of 100g glucose or a
glucose beverage is given on the day of the test.
5. Blood glucose specimen is collected 2 hours after the meal.
Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT)
- Aka OGTT
- Ability of the body to metabolize glucose by measuring the tolerance
level to high glucose level
- Check if patient suffers from a carbohydrate metabolism defect
- Check patient’s insulin response to a measured dose of glucose
- 1 hour for GDM and 3 hours for other evaluations
- Consistent collection (venipuncture or via skin puncture)
Patient Preparation:
- Patient must eat a balanced meal containing 150g of carbohydrates
for 3 days before procedure
- Patient must fast for 12-16 hrs. before scheduled test
- Drinking water is allowed to prevent dehydration
- Urine specimen is also collected as part of test
Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT)
Procedure:
1. Begin with the normal identification protocol. Explain the procedure and
advise the patient that only water is allowed during the whole test period.
2. Draw the fasting specimen and check the glucose level. It should not
be over 200 mg/dL for the test to proceed.
3. Let the patient collect the fasting urine specimen if ordered.
4. Give the patient the glucose beverage dose. Adult dose is 75 g while
children are given 1 g glucose per kilogram of weight. For gestational
diabetes, the dose should be between 50 g to 75 g.
Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT)
Procedure:
5. Let the patient ingest the beverage within 5 minutes.
6. Record the time when the drink was finished, then start timing the
test which is collected within 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, and so forth.
7. Provide the patient with a copy of the collection time.
8. If applicable, make the collection time for other specimens such as urine
coincide with the computed collection time.
9. Write the exact collection time and the time interval on the label
along with the patient identification information.
10. Transport the specimen immediately or within 2 hours to the
laboratory for accurate results.
Lactose Tolerance Test
- Measures ability of the body to process lactose
- Determines if patient lacks mucosal lactase (enzyme that converts
lactose into glucose or galactose)
- GI distress and diarrhea following milk of lactose-containing food
- Similar to GTT, but lactose is substituted for glucose
Lactose Tolerance Test Procedure
1. It is recommended that a 2-hour GTT test be administered at least a
day before the lactose tolerance test.
2. Equal amount of lactose is substituted to glucose but the test will be
performed following the manner of GTT.
3. Glucose specimen is drawn at the same time as the previous GTT
procedure.
4. The GTT curve and the glucose curve will be similar if the patient has
mucosal lactase.
5. If the patient is lactose intolerant, the result will yield a flat curve
where glucose levels just slightly rise over the fasting level.
6. Patients with slow gastric emptying, Crohn's disease and cystic fibrosis
can show false-positive results.
Paternity/Parentage Testing
Paternity/Parentage Testing
- performed to exclude the possibility of paternity of a particular child.
- before the advent of DNA parentage testing, testing for parentage
involves ABO and Rh typing and basic red cell antigen testing.
- If the result does not exclude alleged parent, further test is performed
which involves extended red cell antigens, red cell enzymes, serum
proteins testing, white cell enzymes, white cell antigen, and human
leukocyte antigen (HLA).
- DNA paternity testing uses genetic fingerprinting or DNA profiling to
establish parentage by providing genetic proof.
- Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length
polymorphism (RFLP) are the other two methods used today although the
older techniques still exist.
Paternity/Parentage Testing Procedure
1. All involved parties need to submit a government issued photo
identification along with the completed chain-of-custody form. The
photos of all tested parties are also taken.
2. Buccal samples are collected using a swab that was rubbed inside the
cheek where loose cheek skin cells can be gathered.
3. Sealed and tamper-evident package is used to hold the specimen
during transport to the laboratory.
4. The test results are ready after 48 hours and are usually sent via mail.
Therapeutic Drug Monitoring
- Measures drug levels at designated intervals so that the appropriate
dosage can be established and maintained for the patient, thus avoiding
toxicity
- Monitored drugs have narrow range between amounts of their optimal
effect and amounts that trigger side effects
- Timing of collection – important for aminoglycoside drugs (amikacin,
gentamicin, and tobramycin) due to short half-lives
Therapeutic Drug Monitoring
- Begins with a prescription of the initial dosage appropriate for the
patient’s clinical condition
- Amount in the bloodstream is expected to rise, reaches peak (screens
drug toxicity)
- Gradually fall to a trough or minimum level, ensures that levels are
within therapeutic range
- Things to consider: appropriate drug dosage, history of dosage given, the
recorded response of patient, desired outcome
Therapeutic Phlebotomy
Therapeutic phlebotomy is performed by drawing a large volume of
blood about 500 mL from the patient as part of the treatment procedure
for polycythemia and hemochromatosis. A hematocrit test is used to
check the RBC level.
- The removal of blood is done when hematocrit exceeds certain levels. It
is done with the goal of returning the levels to normal range.
- The procedure is done through the periodic removal of single units of
blood which will gradually deplete the excess iron in the body.
Toxicology Specimens
- A phlebotomist plays a role in both clinical toxicology (detection of
toxins and treatment) and forensic toxicology (legal consequences of
toxin exposure
- any toxicology test involves the collection of blood, hair, urine, and
other substances from the body for the purpose of determining the
presence of toxins which could be in very small amounts.
Forensics Specimens
- Toxicology specimens are ordered by the law-enforcement agencies
for legal or forensic purposes.
- most common specimens are breath and blood for alcohol.
- urine for drug screening and blood specimen for drugs and DNA
analysis.
- need to track the specimen from the time of collection until the time
results are released using a special protocol called chain of custody
Forensics Specimens
- Chain of custody form: records important information about the collection
of the specimen, like type of specimen, Phlebotomist who made the
collection, tech who processed the specimen, time, date, and place of
collection, and signature of the specimen owner
- Collection and packaging are done in the presence of a witness who is
usually a law enforcer
- Person responsible for collection may be summoned for legal reasons
(witness before court)
Blood Alcohol (Ethanol) Specimens
- are usually ordered for purposes related to treatment
- could also be for industrial or job-related reasons such
as insurance claims or programs and employee drug
screening
- law enforcement department orders blood alcohol
concentration (BAC) for individuals involved in traffic-
related accidents.
- The ETOH test for treatment purposes does not require
the chain of custody to be accomplished but the results of
such a test can become evidence in court. However, BAC
test for industrial and legal samples should follow the
chain of custody protocol.
Blood Alcohol (Ethanol) Specimens
Procedure/Preparation:
- uses aqueous povidone-iodine and aqueous
benzalkonium chloride (BZK)
- isopropyl alcohol and tincture of iodine as antiseptic
should be avoided
- plain soap and water if alternatives are not available
- gray-top sodium fluoride glass tubes for specimen
collection
- The tubes are filled until the vacuum is exhausted
- The tube stopper should remain in place at all times
because alcohol could evaporate
Drug Screening
- Companies, healthcare organizations, and sports associations require this
for potential employees as part of pre-employment requirement
- Can do random screening without prior notice
- specimen: Urine instead of blood
- Chain-of-custody
Drug Screening
Patient preparation:
- The purpose and procedure should be explained to the patient.
- The patient should be advised about his legal rights.
- There should be a witness present when the form is signed.
Specimen Collection Requirements:
- A special area should be designated for the purpose of urine collection
- During the collection, a proctor is present to ensure that the specimen came from the
correct person
- Split sample may be used for parallel testing.
- Proper labeling should be followed to establish a chain of custody.
- The specimen must be protected from tampering. After collection, it should be sealed
in a lock container and sent to the laboratory immediately. Documentation should be
handled carefully.
Trace Elements
- Trace element/mineral testing checks for the
presence of aluminum, arsenic, copper, lead, iron, and
zinc.
- Specimens are collected in small amounts and must
use special element-free tubes colored royal blue.
- Since traces of these elements in the glass or plastic
stopper could trickle into the specimen and affect the
accuracy of the result.
- The type of additive, if any, is indicated in the label (red
- no additive; lavender - EDTA; and green - heparin).
- To avoid contamination, change the transfer device
before filling the tube.
POINT-OF-CARE TESTING
Quality and Safety in POCT
• QC and maintenance procedures should be followed during the conduct of
POCT to maintain the accuracy of results.
• The processes should yield results that are no different if the test has been
performed in the centralized or main laboratory.
• manufacturers have enhanced their instruments to include electronic quality
controls (EQCs), which can detect specimen-related problems.
• Internal checks are also in place to gauge the functionality status of the
instrument.
• non-instrumented tests, daily external liquid QC checks make sure that there is
adherence to the use of required techniques and the generated results are
accurate.
• handheld analyzers, may help in the transmission of infection in the facility,
disinfection is recommended
Coagulation Monitoring by POCT
• Warfarin and heparin therapy can be evaluated
• prothrombin time (PT) and international normalized ratio (INR), activated
partial thromboplastin time (APTT or PTT), activated clotting time (ACT),
and platelet function.
• Listed are the available coagulation POCT analyzers:
• Cascade POC - ACT, APTI, PT/INR
• CoaguChek XS Plus -PT/INR
• GEM Premier 4000 - ACT, APTT, PT/INR
• i-STAT - ACT, PT/INR
• Verify Now -platelet function
Bleeding Time
• a non-instrumented test ordered by the physician to evaluate the
capillaries for platelet plug formation, which is indicative of disorder in the
platelet function or problems in capillary integrity.
• for pre-surgical screening and detection of problems involving
hemostasis.
• Although platelet function assay (coagulation test) has been mostly
ordered in place of BT, it is still requested in some occasions.
• Execution of the proper technique is important to get an accurate result.
Bleeding Time
1. Identify the patient properly. Follow proper hand hygiene.
2. Ask the patient of aspirin intake or any salicylate-containing drug within
the past two weeks. Aspirin can prolong bleeding time which will influence
the result. Inform the patient that although the incision is small, scarring
could still occur.
3. Place the patient's arm on a steady surface for support.
4. Choose a site in the volar lateral of the forearm and 5 cm distal to the
antecubital area. Shave the area when necessary. Make sure that the area
does not have surface veins, scars, bruises, or edema.
5. Place a blood pressure cuff around the arm.
6. Use alcohol to clean the selected area. Allow the site to air-dry.
7. Put on gloves and prepare the equipment to be used while waiting for
the site to dry.
Bleeding Time
8. Open the puncture device package and keep the blade sterile.
9. Inflate the blood pressure cuff to 40 mm Hg.
10. Remove the safety clip quickly and position on the forearm.
11. Depress the trigger while simultaneously starting the timer. The blade
will then retract. Remove the device from the arm and discard the sharps
properly.
12. Use a filter paper to blot the blood flow for 30 seconds. Wick the blood
without touching the wound.
13. Stop the timer when the bleeding stops and no longer stains the filter
paper. Stop the test if the bleeding persists beyond 15 minutes.
14. Remove the blood pressure cuff. Clean the arm and bandage the arm.
Advise the patient to keep the site dry and the bandage intact for the next
24 hours.
Bleeding Time
15. Record the bleeding time and round it to the nearest 30 seconds.
Normal results are between 2-8 minutes.
16. Follow the proper disposal of used and contaminated supplies. Thank
the patient before you leave
Bleeding Time
Arterial Blood Gas
• measures the level of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and acid-base (pH) in the
blood, which gives the physician an idea about the status of the function
of the patients lungs, heart, and kidneys.
• ABs measured by POCT methods include pH, partial pressure of carbon
dioxide (PCO2), partial pressure of oxygen (PO2), and oxygen saturation
(SO2).
• The arterial pH test checks the balance of the acid-base level, which
shows the metabolic and respiratory status of the patient. (normal
values: 7.35-7.45)
• PCO2, is an indicator of how well air is exchanged between the blood
and lungs. The test shows the measure of pressure exerted by dissolved
CO, in the blood plasma in proportion to the PO2, in the alveoli.
Arterial Blood Gas
• Hypoventilation happens when the PCO2, level increases to an
abnormal level while hyperventilation occurs when it decreases. On the
other hand, PO2, is representative of the pressure exerted by the
dissolved O2, and the ability of the lungs to diffuse oxygen. through the
alveoli, which is usually used to measure the effectiveness of an oxygen
therapy.
• SO2, is used to evaluate the oxygenation status of the patient, It
measures the percentage of the binding sites of the hemoglobin. that is
occupied by oxygen in the blood. A normal person exhibits 98% oxygen
saturation.
Electrolytes
• aid in moving nutrients in the body and remove wastes in
the cells of the body
• POCT uses electrolyte panels to determine the blood
level of sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), chloride (CI-),
bicarbonate ion (HCO3 ), and ionized calcium (iCa2+).
• Sodium helps keep the normal balance of fluids in the body
as well and plays a role in transmitting nerve impulses.
• Potassium helps in nerve conduction and muscle function.
It also regulates the acid-base balance and osmotic pressure.
• Chloride maintains the integrity of the cells by helping in
balancing the osmotic pressure as well as the acid-base and
water balance of the body.
Electrolytes
• Bicarbonate ion helps transport carbon dioxide to the lungs
and regulate blood pH.
• removal of CO, from the lungs results in a reduction in H+
ion and an increase in blood pH. Hypoventilation results in
higher concentration of CO, and the development of more
H+ ions and leads to acidosis.
• Hyperventilation reduces concentrations of CO, and leads to
alkalosis.
• Ionized calcium comprises about 45% of the blood calcium
and helps in the muscular function, cardiac function, blood
clotting, and nerve transmission function of the body.
Multiple-Test Panel Monitoring by POCT
• composed of small, portable testing devices that measure
analytes such as sodium, potassium, chloride, and
bicarbonate ion as well as blood gas values for potential
hydrogen, partial pressure of carbon dioxide, partial pressure
of oxygen, oxygen saturation, BUN, glucose, hemoglobin,
hematocrit, ACT, lactate, and troponin.
• These instruments play an important role in emergency
conditions because of the short turnaround of the test
results.
Multiple-Test Panel Monitoring by POCT
Other tests by POCT
• Pregnancy Testing - could be detected as early as 10
days from conception, checking the presence of B-subunit
of human chorionic gonadotrophin (B-HCG) in the urine
or serum.
• Procedure (urine):
1. Implement the proper patient identification.
2. Write the patient ID information in the specimen cup.
3. Explain the collection procedure to the patient prior to
the collection of the urine specimen.
Other tests by POCT
4. Place the test device on a flat surface after removing it from the safety
pouch.
5. Using the dropper supplied in the pouch, place about 3 drops in the
sample well.
6. Wait for the reaction time for about 3 minutes. Likewise, set the timer to
the time stated by the manufacturer when a negative test must be read.
7. Read the result from the cassettes window when the timer goes off.
Other tests by POCT
• Cardiac Troponin T (TnT) and Troponin I (TnI) gauge the effectiveness
of the thrombolytic therapy being administered to patients who have suffered
from heart attacks.
• Lipid Testing measures the alanine transferase (ALT) of patients under lipid-
lowering medication.
• B-Type Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) differentiates chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease (COPD) and congestive heart failure (CHF).
• C-Reactive Protein (CRP) detects and evaluates infection, tissue injury,
and other inflammation orders.
• Glucose monitors glucose level of patients with diabetes mellitus.
• Glycosylated Hemoglobin is a diagnostic tool for diabetes therapr
monitoring.
• Hematocrit measures the volume of the red blood cells.
• Hemoglobin for management of anemia
Other tests by POCT
• Lactate evaluates the severity of the lactic acid disorder and the stress
response of the patient.
• Occult Blood (Guaiac) detects gastrointestinal (GIT) bleeding.
• Pregnancy test detects the presence of human chorionic gonadotropin
(hCG).
• Skin test checks contact with allergens and determines if the body has
developed antibodies. Skin tests could be tuberculin test (TB),
Aspergillus, coccidioidomycosis (cocci), and histoplasmosis (histo).
• Strep testing detects the presence of group A streptococci.
• Urinalysis involves physical, chemical, and microscopic analyses of the
urine specimen.