Evaluation of a biosensor for the measurement of lactate in whole blood.
OBJECTIVE
Evaluation of the analytical performance of a biosensor for the measurement of lactate in whole blood samples and comparison of the results of patients samples with a routinely used spectrophotometric enzymatic method.


METHODS
Heparinized whole blood samples of patients and aqueous control samples were used to determine precision and carry-over. For comparison of the lactate biosensor and the enzymatic method human blood samples were split and measured.


RESULTS
Satisfactory within-run (n = 7) and day-to-day (n = 15) precision was found, while carry-over was minimal (<0.2%). A statistically significant relation between the lactate levels in whole blood samples (n = 31) and the corresponding plasma samples was found: y = 0.98x - 0.05 and r = 1.00. No correlation was found between the hematocrit (range 0.23-0.51) and the difference in lactate concentration between plasma and whole blood. When comparing patient results (n = 722) obtained with the spectrophotometric method and the biosensor method, the biosensor measured 13% higher lactate levels. A correction on the basis of the hematocrit minimized this difference.


CONCLUSIONS
The combination of analytical performance, easy handling, rapid analysis, and measurement in whole blood makes the biosensor suitable for lactate STAT-analyses. Care must be given to the interpretation of the results as well as to the preanalytical aspects.
de Keijzer
M H
MH
Central Clinical Chemical Laboratory, University Hospital, St. Radboud Nijmegen, The Netherlands. r.dekeijzer@ckcl.azn.nl
Brandts
R W
RW
Brans
P G
PG
D015374:Biosensing Techniques; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D013053:Spectrophotometry / Q000379:methods
D019344:Lactic Acid