[Performance evaluation of the Piccolo xpress Point-of-care Chemistry Analyzer].
BACKGROUND
Point-of-care (POC) tests are used increasingly due to fast results and simple test procedures, which enables rapid diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring. We evaluated the performance of the Piccolo xpress Chemistry Analyzer (Abaxis, USA) a POC chemistry analyzer.


METHODS
Fourteen analytes, Na(+), K(+), Cl(-), Ca(2+), total carbon dioxide, AST, ALT, total bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, albumin, total protein, and glucose; were measured simultaneously with a 100 microL of whole blood sample using a Comprehensive Metabolic Reagent disk. Within-run and total precision and linearity were evaluated according to CLSI EP15-A and EP6-A guidelines, respectively. Comparison with a central laboratory chemistry analyzer was performed using 144 patient samples.


RESULTS
The coefficients of variations of within-run and total precision were all within 5% for three levels except for total carbon dioxide, ALT, alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin, and creatinine in low level, and creatinine in middle level. The results of 14 analytes were linear within a commonly encountered range in clinical samples (r(2)> or =0.98). More than 10% of samples in Na(+), AST, ALT, glucose, BUN did not satisfy CLIA analytical quality requirement.


CONCLUSIONS
The Piccolo xpress Chemistry Analyzer can analyze multiple analytes with a minimal amount of whole blood in a short time. It showed an acceptable performance for precision, linearity and comparison with central laboratory analyzer. It can be useful as a screening tests modality in mobile clinics, ambulances, and field clinics for military use, and for pediatric patients from whom enough sample volume is difficult to obtain.
Park
Hyunwoong
H
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Ko
Dae Hyun
DH
Kim
Jin Q
JQ
Song
Sang Hoon
SH
D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000097:blood; D002712:Chlorides / Q000097:blood; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood; D011786:Quality Control; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis; D012964:Sodium / Q000097:blood
D001786:Blood Glucose; D002712:Chlorides; D012709:Serum Albumin; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D012964:Sodium; D003404:Creatinine; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D001663:Bilirubin; D011188:Potassium; D002118:Calcium