Point-of-Care Urinalysis with One Drop of Sample Using an Aggregation-Induced Emission Luminogen under the...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Analytical Chemistry
• Clinical Diagnostics

Background:

• Chronic kidney disease (CKD) diagnosis relies on methods unsuitable for resource-limited settings.
• Current urinalysis requires complex equipment and lengthy procedures, hindering point-of-care applications.
• There is a critical need for rapid, accessible diagnostic tools for early CKD detection and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a practical point-of-care (POC) device for simultaneous quantification of microalbuminuria and leukocyte in urine.
• To create a rapid, low-cost diagnostic tool for early screening and monitoring of chronic kidney disease (CKD).
• To utilize aggregation-induced emission luminogen for sensitive and selective detection.

Main Methods:

• A novel luminogen (TTVP) with aggregation-induced emission properties was employed.
• The device leverages hydrophobic/electrostatic interactions for selective activation of near-infrared fluorescence by albumin and leukocytes.
• Simultaneous detection was achieved using a smartphone-based reader and exploiting the coffee-ring effect for signal separation.

Main Results:

• The POC device successfully quantified urine albumin and leukocyte simultaneously from a single drop of urine.
• The entire detection process, including quantification, was completed within 20 minutes.
• Validation with 120 clinical samples confirmed the system's performance and reliability.

Conclusions:

• A simple, low-cost, and rapid POC test for simultaneous microalbuminuria and leukocyte detection has been developed.
• This technology offers a promising tool for point-of-care CKD screening and disease monitoring.
• The developed device addresses limitations of traditional methods, enabling wider accessibility in healthcare settings.