HemoCue^® Introduces a Point-of-Care Urine Albumin System for Microalbuminuria Screening

PRESS RELEASE 2005-07

HemoCue^® introduced a point-of-care system for the quantitative determination of microalbuminuria. This is an ideal system for health care professionals who care for diabetes patients to screen for early signs of kidney failure.

Microalbuminuria is a powerful predictor for the future development of diabetic nephropathy and cardiovascular disease. Diabetic nephropathy (kidney failure) is one of the most serious and the most expensive complications of diabetes. Microalbuminuria is the first clinical evidence of renal dysfunction and an indication of disease progression. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends annual microalbuminuria screening for individuals with type 1 diabetes after 5 years from disease duration. Annual microalbuminuria screening for individuals with type 2 diabetes is recommended from the time of diagnosis.

The system consists of a portable analyzer and disposable cuvettes containing freeze-dried reagents with anti-human albumin antibodies. The sample is drawn into the cuvette by capillary action, placed in the analyzer, and mixed through vibration. The immunochemical reaction is completed within 90 seconds.

The HemoCue^® Urine Albumin system has superior precision and accuracy because the analyzers are factory calibrated and the cuvettes have no clinically significant lot-to-lot variation. The system has received high recommendations from international experts in renal medicine. The HemoCue^® Urine Albumin system performs quantitative microalbuminuria testing at the point-of-care.