Effects of preanalytical factors on hemoglobin measurement: A comparison of two HemoCue® point-of-care analyzers

• Published in: Clinical biochemistry Vol. 50; no. 9; pp. 513 - 520
• Main Authors: Whitehead, Ralph D., Zhang, Ming, Sternberg, Maya R., Schleicher, Rosemary L., Drammeh, Bakary, Mapango, Carine, Pfeiffer, Christine M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.06.2017
• Subjects: Adult; Anemia - blood; Blood Chemical Analysis - instrumentation; Blood Chemical Analysis - methods; Capillary blood; Elevated temperature; Female; Freeze-thawing; Hemoglobins - metabolism; Humans; Humidity; Male; Middle Aged; Point-of-Care Testing; Reproducibility of Results; Storage stability; Venous blood; SD; Elevated temperature; CDC; CV; Venous blood; Storage stability; CI; Humidity; Hb; Capillary blood; Freeze-thawing
• ISSN: 0009-9120; 1873-2933
• DOI: 10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2017.04.006

In field studies, hemoglobin (Hb) is often measured using a battery-operated, portable HemoCue® hemoglobinometer. We compared the performance of 2 HemoCue® models (Hb-201+ and Hb-301) and investigated effects of preanalytical factors on Hb results by simulating unfavorable field conditions. The Hb-301 produced 2.6% higher results compared to the Hb-201+. Hb had to be measured within 1min of filling the Hb-301 cuvette to avoid artificially elevated concentrations (1.3% per min). The Hb-301 cuvettes withstood elevated temperature (37°C) and humidity (72%) for 3weeks, while the Hb-201+ cuvettes degraded within 10min under those conditions. Both cuvette types withstood elevated temperature for 3weeks. Properly-collected venous and capillary blood produced comparable results. Pooled capillary blood produced comparable results to the second and third but not the fourth drop of blood (3.3% lower). Blood could be stored for ≤4days at 10–30°C before Hb-201+ measurement, but only for 1day at 10–23°C before Hb-301 measurement (≤1% change in Hb). Higher Hb results obtained with the Hb-301 may influence the interpretation of anemia prevalence in health surveys. While the Hb-301 performed better in high humidity conditions, the Hb-201+ provided more user flexibility regarding delayed Hb reading. •Hemoglobin results from the HemoCue Hb-201+ and Hb-301 models are not comparable.•HemoCue model Hb-301 performs better in high humidity conditions.•HemoCue model Hb-201+ provides more user flexibility with delayed hemoglobin reading,•Venous and capillary blood samples produce comparable hemoglobin results,