What are the examples of POCT(point of care testing)?

 

POCT(Point of Care Testing) is a sub-industry of the in vitro diagnostic (IVD) industry. Because of the simplified design and innovative technology,  POCT enables easy and fast on-site inspections around patients to quickly obtain diagnostic results.

 

This article will cover: 1. the features of POCT devices

                                    2. the examples of POCT devices.

 

Compare with other in vitro diagnostic(IVD) products, POCT products have three distinctive features:

1.Detection time: short detection time, POCT products shorten the detection cycle from sample collection and detection to result report;

2. Detection space: POCT belongs to the detection of the object being tested;

3. Detection of operator: simple operation, POCT operator may be non-professional surveyor, even object to be detected

From the detection project, POCT mainly focus on the testing of glucose, pregnancy, infectious factor, cardiac markers, blood gas analysis, infectious disease detection, drug detection, and tumor markers.

 

However, POCT is not completely confined to medical tests. It covers air, water, food safety, emergency rescue of disasters, and prevention of major diseases of CTC.

 

The example of POCT

 

1.The testing of glucose

 

The early application of POCT is in the field of detecting diabetes. Self-testing glucose detectors used by patients to control daily blood glucose have become popular worldwide. Since diabetes is exacerbated by complications such as retinal and neuropathy, early detection using POCT is a very effective method.

 

2. Cardiac marker

 

The high incidence of cardiovascular disease and the growing awareness of early diagnosis of heart disease are all stimulating the development of the cardiac marker detection market in the Asia Pacific region.

 

In the various sub-domains of POCT, although the market of cardiac markers are not the largest, it is the market that develops the fastest.

 

3.Pregnancy

 

It mainly includes HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin test), LH (luteinizing hormone) test, and FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) test.

 

HCG can be detected in the urine of pregnant women, which is the best indicator for early detection of pregnancy; LH is a reliable indicator for predicting ovulation through urine test; FSH is a reliable indicator for predicting ovulation through urine test.

 

4.Infectious Disease

 

Infectious diseases POCT products are mainly for the screening and rapid detection of various common infectious diseases and major infectious diseases, including AIDS, syphilis, viral hepatitis (hepatitis A, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, hepatitis E), malaria, Rapid detection products for infectious diseases such as influenza.

 

5. Blood gas analysis

 

Blood gas and electrolyte analysis, also known as critical factor POCT detection, is mainly the detection and analysis of human blood gas, electrolytes and critical biochemical indicators.

 

Blood gas analysis is a necessary indicator to evaluate the patient's respiratory, oxidative and acid-base balance status. It includes the measured values of blood pH, PO2, and PCO2, as well as calculated parameters such as TCO2, AB, BE, SatO2, and ContO2.

 

6.Infectious Factor

Infectious factor detection POCT is mainly used for the analysis and detection of inflammation. The main testing items are CRP, PCT, IL-6 and so on.

 

7. Tumor marker detection

 

The POCT products for tumor detection are mainly for the detection of tumor markers. In the research and clinical practice of tumors, early detection and early diagnosis are the key. Tumor Marker TM has great practical value in tumor screening, diagnosis, prognosis and outcome, evaluation of therapeutic efficacy and follow-up observation of high-risk groups. Common tumor markers are detected by alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), and prostate specific antigen (PSA).

 

 

As the fastest growing field in the in vitro diagnostic industry, POCT has great application in hospital surgery, emergency department, intensive care, chronic disease prevention and public health emergencies.