Reprinted and translated by permission of Läkartidningen from “Serumlaktat - användbar analys inom akutsjukvården”, by Bengt R Widgren and Monique Ekhardt, 2011; vol 108: 475-477. Copyright 2011 by Author, Läkartidningen and AB Typoform, Sweden.Translated by Radiometer Medical ApS. In emergency care triage, diagnosis...

Sepsis is a major cause of mortality and morbidity for hospitalized patients around the world. Early intervention can reduce mortality and morbidity from severe sepsis, but signs and symptoms of sepsis are non-specific. Point-of-care lactate has proved to be an invaluable tool for some institutions in standardized...

In the ED, 25 % of patients with angina pectoris with suspected AMI are wrongly diagnosed (no cardiac involvement). As a result, the patient risks are increased and resources are wasted. We investigated the effect of point-of-care testing (POCT) on ED processes, resource needs, patient risks and overall costs. POCT...

Various guidelines and recommendations are available for the use of natriuretic peptides in the diagnosis of heart failure. As it is known that old age may lead to higher natriuretic peptide values in the absence of heart failure, it is relevant to decide whether to use age-dependent reference intervals for clinical...

Emergency departments (ED) are challenged by increasing patient visits, overcrowding and prolonged length of stay (LOS). The cause of these problems is multifactorial. Delays in the laboratory are often perceived as contributing to delays in care and increased LOS. Implementation of selected point-of-care tests in...

Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) are currently identified by incidental imaging or ultrasound screening. The potential diagnostic and prognostic value of D-dimer for AAA was assessed in this study. 1260 men from a population-based ultrasound screening study were included, of which 299 had small AAAs monitored by...

Point-of-care testing sites continue to increase in number due to the availability of easy-to-use devices that make it possible to provide test results very quickly relative to the central laboratory services. There is, however, mixed review regarding the accuracy and reliability of POCT results for patient care. It...

ROC curves are frequently used to show in a graphical way the connection/trade-off between clinical sensitivity and specificity for every possible cut-off for a test or a combination of tests. In addition the area under the ROC curve gives an idea about the benefit of using the test(s) in question.  ROC curves are...

As healthcare seeks to provide better care with fewer resources, Point-of-Care Testing steps in to move key diagnostic or screening tests to the patient’s bedside. The results can have a significant impact on a patient outcome and operational costs.

Some of the frequently asked questions are: Should we use BE (base excess) or SID (strong ion difference) as a measure of a metabolic acid-base disturbance?  Is there any difference between BB (buffer base) and SID? Should we use SBE (standard base excess), i.e. BE referring to the expanded extracellular fluid or...