This study evaluated sensitivity of a point-of-care (POC) immunoassay (Sickle SCAN) to diagnose sickle cell disease and a first generation POC color-based assay to detect anemia, in comparison to their respective laboratory-based gold standards. Researchers collected blood samples from Tanzanian children 21 years of age or younger who were at risk for sickle cell disease or anemia. They compared the POC sickle cell assay to hemoglobin electrophoresis results and the POC anemia assay to automated hematology analyzer results. Even when used by providers who were unfamiliar with the assay, the sickle cell disease POC assay provided excellent sensitivity. The hemoglobin POC assay (measuring anemia) was less accurate than the sickle cell assay. However, its specificity was still more effective than using clinical signs to diagnose anemia.
Luke R. Smart et al. Springer Nature (November, 2017).