Siemens Healthineers, a global leader in medical imaging, laboratory diagnostics, and healthcare information technology, recently announced that it has received FDA clearance for its Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) and Total Carbon Dioxide (TCO2) point-of-care tests. These tests run on handheld Epoc blood analysis system helps in faster diagnosis of renal diseases and metabolic imbalances. Common conditions among critically ill patients, renal injury and metabolic diseases require immediate treatment. By providing accurate results in less than a minute, Siemens point-of-care tests allow clinicians to take informed decisions and improve care.
Siemens had acquired the Epoc system from Abbott in 2017, as part of its purchase of the Epocal division of Abbott subsidiary Alere. The BUN and TCO2 tests will be added to the Epoc system test card, which provides results in about one minute and can also be integrated into laboratory information systems (LIS). The test card includes assays for pH, partial pressure of oxygen, partial pressure of carbon dioxide, sodium, potassium, ionized calcium, hematocrit, glucose, lactate, creatinine, and chloride.
In a press release, Michael Sampson, Senior Vice President, Point of Care Diagnostics, North America, Siemens Healthineers, said, "With the epoc system, these new assays will expand the patient information clinicians can access sooner to help rule in or rule out potential diagnoses more quickly. Rapid, informed diagnoses and treatment decisions at the patient-side ultimately aids in improving clinical outcomes."
BUN-combined with creatinine and an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)-can assist in the differential diagnosis of renal and metabolic diseases. TCO2-with other parameters that comprise a basic metabolic panel currently available at the point of care from Siemens Healthineers-can help clinicians assess acid base and metabolic imbalances and make changes in therapy where necessary. These assays expand precision medicine performed at the patient-side to enable faster clinical decision making.