Blood Spot Technology at ZRT Highlighted in March Issue of Journal of Diabetes Science & Technology - A Convenient Alternative to Serum Testing for Health...( PORTLAND Ore. May 13 /- Dried blo...),Health

PORTLAND, Ore., May 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Dried blood spots are emerging as a breakthrough alternative to expensive serum collection and transport for blood tests. In an article published in the March issue of Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology (2008; 2(2):242-3), Ramakrishnan Lakshmy, PhD, explains that the use of dried blood spots is a "powerful tool", for mass disease screening programs, especially in developing countries with limited health budgets.

The article highlights a paper written by scientists at ZRT Laboratory, LLC that reports the accuracy of dried blood spots in comparison with serum for measuring risk factors for diabetes and cardiovascular disease, published in the same issue of the journal. The paper, "Cardiometabolic Risk Factors Assessed by a Finger Stick Dried Blood Spot Method," by Sanjay Kapur, PhD, Sonia Kapur, PhD, and David Zava, PhD of ZRT Laboratory, Beaverton, Oregon, (J Diabetes Sci Technol 2008; 2(2):236-41), describes ZRT's methods for measurement of insulin, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and triglycerides from dried blood spots and validates these methods by comparison with the same tests in serum. This research confirmed that dried blood spot samples can be used as an alternative to serum for convenience of sample collection and ease of transport, and in situations where conventional blood collection is simply not available.

ZRT's CardioMetabolic Profile tests key biomarkers including triglycerides, insulin, hemoglobin A1c and high-sensitivity CRP, an important indicator of inflammation, giving test results that doctors can use to evaluate risk of developing type 2 diabetes and/or cardiovascular disease. In addition to this cardiometabolic risk testing, ZRT offers simple blood spot tests for a wide range of hormones.

CONTACT:

Sanjay Kapur

ZRT Laboratory

503-466-2445, ext. 212

ZRT Laboratory

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