Cardiovascular disease caused by atherosclerosis is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Western countries. Atherosclerosis involves the hardening and narrowing of vessels in the systemic system. If the build-up increases, plaque rupturing may occur which may lead to myocardial infarction.
The mission of the National Lipid Association (NLA) “is to enhance the practice of lipid management in clinical medicine” as the current lipid testing panel consists of LDL-C, HDL-C and triglycerides. These traditional tests only detect approximately 20% of all coronary artery disease patients.  Advanced lipid testing is recommended to optimise patient treatment.
Randox offer a range of niche and superior performance lipid assays including sdLDL-C and Lp(a) to extend your lipid profile.
 
For more information go to: https://www.randox.com/lipid-testing-panel/
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RPS Diagnostics recently announced an updated CE mark of its FebriDx test, clearing the way for its immediate launch in the European Union and all countries recognizing the CE mark. FebriDx is a rapid, accurate, and simple to use point-of-care test that provides clinicians with a 10-minute assessment of the body’s immune response to an acute respiratory infection (ARI) directly from a fingerstick blood sample. The single use, disposable test identifies patients who have a clinically significant underlying infection and aids in the differentiation of viral and bacterial ARIs through the rapid detection of both Myxovirus resistance protein A (MxA) and C-reactive protein (CRP). MxA is an intracellular protein that becomes elevated in the presence of acute viral infection and CRP is a nonspecific inflammatory protein that is elevated in the presence of any clinically significant infection. Thus, unlike a standalone CRP test, MxA confers specificity to the test through the combined interpretation of the results.
The updated FebriDx test incorporates an all-in-one plastic housing technology that includes a built-in safety lancet, blood collection and delivery system, and integrated push button buffer delivery feature, which together, improve test convenience. The FebriDx test requires no additional equipment to perform or to interpret results. Through comprehensive analytical testing as well as a multicentre precision and reproducibility study, RPS Diagnostics successfully demonstrated equivalency to the previously CE-marked version of the product.
The timely FebriDx test results enable clinicians to formulate a targeted clinical management and therapeutic decision plan during the initial patient encounter. Antibiotic misuse is a complex global problem that leads to antibiotic resistance, avoidable adverse events, and contributes to rising healthcare costs, largely driven by diagnostic uncertainty and patient pressure. More than 50% of all antibiotic prescriptions are unnecessary and are generated in the outpatient primary and urgent care setting. In a recent study in the United Kingdom, FebriDx was shown to alter clinical management decisions in 48% of patients tested, and to reduce unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions by 80%. Each day that goes by without the implementation of a cost-effective solution is exacerbating the current global antibiotic crisis.
It is equally important not to miss treating an underlying bacterial infection as it is withholding unnecessary antibiotics from patients with clinically insignificant or viral infection. While most research and investment over the past decade has focused on rapid molecular testing to identify specific pathogens, FebriDx utilizes the body’s own immune system to provide a broad, fast, accurate, and cost-effective method to identify patients who may benefit from appropriate antibiotic therapy.

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CellaVision DC-1 is the newest addition to the CellaVision family of analysers. It has been custom-designed to meet the specific needs of smaller low-volume hematology labs – enabling them to implement the best-practice digital methodology for performing blood cell differentials that many large labs today regard as standard practice.
CellaVision DC-1 is a semi-automated single-slide analyser that, although smaller, works just like the company’s existing analysers. A single slide is loaded onto the CellaVision DC-1 for processing. During processing the slide is automatically positioned under the microscope, the monolayer is identified, cells are located, and high-quality digital images are captured. Innovative image analysis technology delivers a pre-classification of white blood cells and a pre-characterization of red blood cell morphology for review and verification by the medical technologist or pathologist on a computer screen. Structured interfaces, smart functionalities and embedded tools help speed up the review process while promoting accuracy and consistency.

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Bio-Rad has expanded its portfolio of quality control products for reproductive health and prenatal testing with the launch of Liquichek AMH Control. This product is a dedicated Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) control designed to meet the increasing demand for a liquid, independent, assayed quality control used primarily in fertility/In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) clinics. 
AMH is emerging as an important fertility marker used by healthcare professionals and fertility specialists as an indicator of ovarian reserve. The test result provides an assessment of the available egg supply and consequently, remaining fertility window.  Females with higher AMH values may have a better response to ovarian stimulation for IVF and egg retrieval. The accurate assessment of AMH can provide a clinician with valuable insight used to manage an individual’s reproductive health.
Liquichek AMH Control is offered as a single analyte with three clinically relevant levels for monitoring the precision of AMH assays.  
Bio-Rad’s Liquichek AMH Control addresses needs in the fertility and reproductive health testing market, especially when offered as part of a broad range of fertility controls including Lyphochek Fertility Control, Liquichek Maternal Serum II, and Liquichek Maternal 1st Trimester.

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Beckman Coulter recently announced commercialization of DxONE Inventory Manager, its automated, cloud-based software technology that simplifies inventory management and enhances operational efficiencies to help ensure timely delivery of patient test results. With DxONE Inventory Manager, technologists gain an end-to-end solution that streamlines inventory control activities, reallocating time spent on routine tasks to support greater focus on patient care. DxONE Inventory Manager is the latest offering in the company’s DxONE portfolio of clinical information management tools—a suite of next-generation solutions designed to standardize processes and optimize workflows through automated systems that increase laboratory efficiency. For many laboratories, managing supplies involves repetitive, time-consuming and often manual tasks. DxONE Inventory Manager eliminates the administrative aspects of supply management by automating the recording, tracking, ordering and monitoring of consumables. This reduces workload burden, minimizes waste and ensures stock is available when needed for uninterrupted operations.
Cloud technology enables personnel to view real-time supply levels on demand and remotely from a single dashboard to better track consumables across a laboratory network. With DxONE Inventory Manager, users can manage the entire inventory process in three easy steps: click a button to accept orders, deplete an item to update supply status automatically and confirm a system-generated reorder. The fast, easy-to-use system gives technologists the ability to track each product by name, lot number and location, and alerts staff to low supplies. Alerts are also available to ensure consumables are used on a first-in, first-out basis, helping laboratories avoid unnecessary waste for greater cost efficiency.  

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