Field-testing and validation in a primary care setting of a point-of-care test for C-reactive protein.
BACKGROUND
Use of point-of-care testing (POCT) in primary care has increased. There is a need for high-quality field evaluation of POCT before deployment can be considered.


METHODS
A POCT system for C-reactive protein was evaluated in a routine general practice setting. The standard laboratory method was a dry slide method based in a routine hospital laboratory.


RESULTS
Scatterplots for both venous and capillary blood POCT system results versus the standard laboratory assay produced correlation coefficients of greater than 0.96. Bland-Altman plots indicated that 95% of venous and capillary POCT results fell within +/-10 mg/L of the mean value with no clinically significant difference from laboratory results.


CONCLUSIONS
The POCT system performed reliably in a routine general practice setting with satisfactory performance against an accepted laboratory method.
Seamark
David A
DA
Honiton Research Practice, Marlpits Lane, Honiton EX14 2NY, UK. David.Seamark@gp-L83002.nhs.uk
Backhouse
Susan N
SN
Powell
Roy
R
D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002138:Calibration; D002624:Chemistry, Clinical / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D011320:Primary Health Care; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D002097:C-Reactive Protein