LDH test for COVID-19 patients
In addition, rapid diagnosis is needed to be able to assess how seriously ill an infected patient is at risk of becoming. Especially since many patients show a rapid and acute deterioration. A large number of consistent scientific research studies have since the spring of 2020 shown that LDH (lactate dehydrogenase) is one of the most important biomarkers for disease assessment. Elevated LDH levels are associated with a 6-fold increase in the risk of serious illness and a 16-fold increase in the risk of mortality. Measurement of LDH has been included in the IFCC * guidelines for monitoring covid-19 patients since October 2020.
Being able to quickly detect elevated LDH values provides the opportunity to identify patients at risk, predict the degree of severity, start treatment and thereby improve the prognosis. Measurement of LDH is today analyzed in hospital laboratories, but now Calmark has launched the world's first POC test for assessment of COVID-19, which in a few minutes, with the help of just a few drops of blood, measures LDH exactly where the patient is.
* IFCC Interim Guidelines on COVID-19 Testing in Clinical Laboratories – October 2020
(IFCC - The International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine)
The platform Calmark POC - Covid
Calmark is already developing a point-of-care diagnostic instrument (POC) for newborns, where LDH is one of the tested biomarkers. During childbirth, newborns can suffer from lack of oxygen (asphyxia), which leads to an increase of LDH in the blood.
By adapting the measuring range to adult patients, an LDH test for assessment of severity in COVID-19 could be developed quickly. The test is based on the same test cassette and instrument as the Neo products.
The measuring instrument can be used close to the patient, for example in an emergency room. The platform consists of a portable instrument and a single-use test cassette for LDH.
POC-Analyzer Covid
Calmark POC-Analyzer is a portable, battery-powered and self-instructional instrument that will work with Calmark's POC test cassette. Each test contains the information required for automatic calibration of the results. When closing the lid of the instrument, the test is activated and a numeric value is displayed on the screen.
Blood samples may be analyzed wherever the patient is located, for example in an emergency room. The platform is adapted for hospital environment and is intended for in vitro diagnostics.
- Safe and easy to use
- The test results will appear on the screen within minutes
- Battery capacity: eight working hours, charged with micro-USB connector, charger included
- Data storage: 25 results are stored locally in the instrument
- Calibrated during manufacturing and does not need to be further calibrated
The test COVID19-LDH
The Calmark COVID19-LDH test measures the concentration of LDH in whole blood in patients diagnosed with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The test is used to assess the degree of disease in COVID-19.
- Fast and quantitative assessment of severity in COVID-19 patients
- For quantification of LDH within the relevant clinical range
- Portable instrument
- Results within minutes and easy to use
- Innovative filter technology
- Colorimetric measurement method
- Automatic calibration
Patents