title: Evidence-based point-of-care diagnostics: current status and emerging technologies.
abstract: Point-of-care (POC) diagnostics brings tests nearer to the site of patient care. The turnaround time is short, and minimal manual interference enables quick clinical management decisions. Growth in POC diagnostics is being continuously fueled by the global burden of cardiovascular and infectious diseases. Early diagnosis and rapid initiation of treatment are crucial in the management of such patients. This review provides the rationale for the use of POC tests in acute coronary syndrome, heart failure, human immunodeficiency virus, and tuberculosis. We also consider emerging technologies that are based on advanced nanomaterials and microfluidics, improved assay sensitivity, miniaturization in device design, reduced costs, and high-throughput multiplex detection, all of which may shape the future development of POC diagnostics.
authors.affiliation: Accident and Emergency Medicine Academic Unit, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR.
authors.forename: Cangel Pui Yee
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Wing Cheung
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Mak
authors.forename: Kwan Yee
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: King Keung
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Sin
authors.forename: Cheuk Man
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Timothy H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Rainer
authors.forename: Reinhard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Renneberg
mesh_terms: D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation; D008904:Miniaturization; D049329:Nanostructures; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems / Q000639:trends; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis