Utility of near patient testing and home care analysis using a portable critical care analyser

This study was conducted in order to determine the usefulness of the application of home patient care using a portable critical care analyser (OPTI-C) after the precision of the OPTI-C was examined.

The OPTI-C, which measures sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) as well as pH, PCO2 and PO2 in whole blood, was used. In order to confirm the linearity of the OPTI-C, analysis using reference materials was performed (n=81). Correlation testing with whole blood samples from patients was also performed using other analysers in the laboratory (n=108). Home patient testing was performed with 15 patients.

The slope linearity and correlation coefficients were as follows: pH, 1.0174+/-0.0091, 0.99972; PCO2, 0.9681+/-0.0094, 0.99967; PO2, 0.9844+/-0.0085, 0.99974; NaST, 0.9788+/-0.0115, 0.99911 and KST 0.9964+/-0.0128, 0.99893. The equivalent results from other analysers showed pH, 1.071+/-0.009, 0.9963; PCO2 0.985+/-0.016, 0.9870; PO2 0.989+/-0.007, 0.9976; Na+, 1.075+/-0.278, 0.9662 and K+ 1.120+/-0.020, 0.9842. The correlation coefficients and P values were as follows: pH, 0.9790, P>0.1; PCO2, 0.9990, P>0.1; PO2, 0.9980, P>0.1; Na+, 0.9438, P>0.05, and K+, 0.9174, P>0.1.

The use of portable critical care analysers for near patient testing for home-care patients is recommended in order to increase the efficiency of visits as well as to improve the quality of patient care.