Study by Center for Disease Dynamics finds dramatic rise in global antibiotic consumption
Study by Center for Disease Dynamics finds dramatic rise in global antibiotic consumption
A dramatic increase in global consumption of antibiotics has led public health experts to call for innovative new ways to rein in excessive use of the drugs, following a study by the Centre for Disease Dynamics, Economics and Policy, in Washington DC.
The study found a 65% rise in worldwide consumption of antibiotics from 2000 to 2015, despite efforts to encourage more prudent use of the drugs. The unrestrained use of antibiotics is the main cause of the increasing appearance of drug-resistant infections, which now kill more than half a million people worldwide. A report in 2014 predicted that the spread of drug resistance could claim millions of lives per year by 2050.
Eili Klein, an author of the study, which was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, criticised the global response to the global antibiotic resistance crisis as “slow and inadequate” and called for a “radical thinking” of antibiotic consumption.
At Randox, our pioneering R&D teams have developed a revolutionary swab test for respiratory infections which will help to reduce the unnecessary prescription of antibiotics. Earlier this year, Public Health England reported that 59% of people who visited their GP with a sore throat were prescribed antibiotics, in spite of only 13% actually needing them.
The new Randox swab test indicates the cause of the infection and whether a patient needs antibiotics or not, by rapidly detecting and identifying the cause of 21 respiratory infections in just 5 hours
The test assists the clinician in prescribing the appropriate antibiotic.
John Lamont, Lead Scientist at Randox Laboratories, said;
“Current diagnostic testing for respiratory infections takes at least 36 hours to confirm the nature of an infection, and they cannot name and categorise infections as bacterial or viral in the way our new respiratory test can.”
This test, if widely adopted, could allow medical practitioners to make the correct treatment choice on the same day as examination and before patients have already begun a precautionary course of inefficient antibiotics. It would also have additional efficiency savings for the NHS, by eliminating the need for lengthy microbiology lab tests and unnecessarily prescribing drugs which are not needed.
This new rapid and accurate test will give clinicians confidence in their diagnosis of respiratory infections and will allow for quicker treatment if necessary, which benefits patient outcomes. By reducing the prescription of unnecessary antibiotics, we can limit their use only for when they are truly needed.
The test is also available as a Randox Health Cough, Cold & Flu offering, and can be carried out by booking an appointment with Randox Health at our clinics in Crumlin, Holywood or London, or by arranging the mobile clinic to visit you at your home or place of work.
Book an appointment with one of our clinics, or arrange the mobile clinic, by phoning 0800 2545 130 or by clicking here.
For further information about the Randox Respiratory Infection Array please contact the Randox PR team by email: randoxpr@randox.com or phone 028 9442 2413
Complement C4 – Biomarker for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disorder associated with a deficiency in complement C4. Complement C4 is one of nine components of the complement system which is an integral part of the immune system that enhances (complements) the ability of antibodies and phagocytic cells to clear microbes and damaged cells from the host, promote inflammation, and attack the cell membrane of pathogens.
Complement C4 is a vital component of two immunology pathways: Classical pathway and Mannrose Binding Lectin (MBL) pathway.
The classical pathway is triggered by antibody-antigen complexes which induces a conformational change in the C1 complex. The activated C1 complex cleaves the C4 component, resulting in a reactive C4b which covalently binds to proteins or polysaccharides at the surface in close proximity of the C1 component. The bound C4b complexes binds to the C2 component rendering C2 for proteolysis by C1.
The MBL pathway is activated through the binding of MBL to mannose residues on the pathogen surface. This in turn activates the MBL-associated serine proteases, MASP-1 and MASP-2, which activates the C4 and C2 components, to form the C3 convertase, C4b2a. The C4b2a complex splits C3 into two fragments which causes the release of vasoactive mediators such as histamine.
Complement C4 deficiency is commonly associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
According to lupus.org, 16,000 new cases of lupus are reported each year. Approximately 1 in 250 people may end up developing SLE at some point with 90% of SLE patients being female aged between 15-44 years. The causes of SLE are unknown, but are believed to be linked to environmental, genetic, and hormonal factors. 1.5 million Americans are living with diagnosed lupus.
There are four forms of lupus:
- Systemic – accounts for approximately 70% of all lupus cases. In half of these cases, a major organ or tissue in the body, such as the heart, lungs, kidneys, or brain will be affected.
- Cutaneous lupus – accounts for approximately 10% of all lupus cases and only affects the skin.
- Drug-induced lupus accounts for approximately 10% of all lupus cases and is caused by high doses of certain medications.
- Neonatal lupus is a rare condition in which the mother’s antibodies affect the fetus. At birth, the baby may have a skin rash, liver problems, or low blood cell counts, but these symptoms typically disappear completely after six months with no lasting effects.
The Randox Complement C4 assay
The Randox Complement C4 assay is used for the quantitative in vitro determination of complement C4 concentration in serum. The Randox Complement C4 assay can be used as a biomarker in the diagnosis and monitoring of SLE. It is the cell-bound levels of processed complement activation products, especially E-C4d (erythrocyte-bound C4) that makes the complement C4 assay a biomarker for SLE.
Key Features of the Randox Complement C4 assay
Liquid ready-to-use reagents – The Randox reagent comes in a convenient liquid format requiring minimal preparation thus reducing the risk of errors.
Exceptional correlation with standard methods – The Randox methodology was compared against other commercially available methods and the Randox Complement C4 assay showed a correlation coefficient of r=0.98.
Wide measuring range – The healthy range for Complement C4 is 7 -49 mg/dl. The Randox Complement C4 assay can comfortably detect levels outside of the healthy range measuring between 2.90 – 152 mg/dl.
Excellent stability – Stable until expiry date when stored at +2 to +8°C.
For health professionals
If you are a clinician or laboratory who are interested in running specific protein assays, Randox offer a wide range of high-quality routine and niche assays including: Cystatin C, Complement C3, CRP, Lipoprotein (a), Apolipoprotein C-II, Apolipoprotein C-III and Apolipoprotein E. These can be run on most automated biochemistry analysers.
Instrument Specific Application (ISA’s) are available for a wide range of biochemistry analysers. Contact us to enquire about your specific analyser.
For more information, download our Specific Proteins Brochure email reagents@randox.com
Sir AP McCoy and father of late āKing of Heswallā team up for Randox Health Week
Almost a year to the day of the tragic death of the “King of Heswall” Tim Cogley, his father will be joined by some of the UK’s best-known sports stars at an event in Liverpool to raise awareness of how lives can be saved through improving access to earlier routine health screening.
On April 9th 2017 Tim, who was only 34-years old, suffered a fatal heart attack due to a genetic condition which could have been managed had it been diagnosed earlier. It spurred his father, Frank Cogley, to set up a charity to raise awareness of the importance of health checks for young people.
He’ll be joined at the free Randox Health Week event in Exchange Station on 11th April by legendary jockey Sir AP McCoy, champion boxer Paul Smith and Olympic sailor Matt McGovern. The public will be invited to join the discussions as well.
Frank said: “It’s been recently reported that at least 12 under-35s die from undiagnosed heart conditions every week in the UK. The current lack of routine screening of 18-40-year olds leaves a gaping chasm in our healthcare provision. With our highly motivated partners, through events like this, we hope to redress this through lifestyle changes and preventative medical programmes. The ‘Tim Cogley Cardiac Screening Foundation’ is committed to delivering positive, action-focused and life-changing programmes. I can’t imagine a legacy more in tune with the generous, kind and supportive person that was Tim!”
This is the second year that Randox Health Week has been held in the city. The areas of mental health and active cities will be explored on days one and two – the 9th and 10th respectively. On each of the mornings, local athletes Franny Norton and Derry Mathews will be putting pupils to the test with a range of sporting activities at LJMU’s Byrom Street campus.
By working with the city’s leading universities – Liverpool John Moores and Liverpool Hope – cutting-edge innovations in healthcare and emerging trends are being shared with a global audience. One such ground-breaking development is a test for prediabetes which is key to tackling the worldwide threat of preventable cases of Type-2 diabetes. It’s something that legendary jockey Sir Anthony McCoy, also taking part in Wednesday’s talk, has first-hand experience of:
“When I got my first test results back that said I had prediabetes, it floored me. I had never imagined that I, someone who had been a professional athlete all of my life, could develop it. It just goes to show that we’re all vulnerable. I only wish it had been around when it could have helped my mum who lived with Type-2 diabetes for many years. As daunting as it was getting the diagnosis, it’s been empowering to very simply make lifestyle changes to reverse it. This needs to be accessible to everyone – it needs to be on the national diabetes screening programme.”
Dr Peter FitzGerald, Managing Director of Randox Health, commented: “The themes we’re focusing on this week are some of the most important global concerns facing us today – mental health, physical activity and showing people the benefits to being proactive about their health, rather than facing the consequences of preventable sickness. You need look no further than Frank Cogley who is working tirelessly to turn his son’s tragic death into a force for good to see how important this is. With the support from AP McCoy and Paul Smith, we hope this event will inspire many people in the city and beyond.”
Tickets are free and can be reserved at www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/randox-health-week-2018-tickets-43648350391
For further information about Randox Health Week, please contact the Randox PR team by email: randoxpr@randox.com or by phone: 028 9442 2413
Biochip Carrier Applications in the Randox Evidence Series
Biochip Array Technology is the fundamental component which drives the Randox Evidence Series immunoanalysers. The simultaneous detection of multiple analytes from a single sample allows for a complete patient profile, providing exceptional time, resource and cost savings.
The Evidence Series analysers all carry the Biochip in different applications. In order to gain a better understanding of how it is utilised, the illustrations below demonstrate how adaptable and flexible the technology is across the Evidence Series.
Evidence Evolution
- One strip contains 10 biochips
- Analyser can hold 20 strips
- Can produce a throughput of up to 2640 tests per hour
Evidence
- Each cassette contains 10 carriers
- Each carrier has 9 wells
- Analyser can hold 4 cassettes at once
- Can produce a throughput of up to 3960 tests per hour
Evidence Investigator
- Analyser holds 1 cartridge
- 1 cartridge contains 9 wells
- Thermoshaker capable of carrying 6 cartridges
- Can produce a throughput of up to 2376 tests per hour
Evidence MultiSTAT
- Analyser holds 1 cartridge
- Cartridge comes pre-loaded with reagents and QC
- Can produce a throughput of up to 132 tests per hour
About the Randox Evidence Series
The Evidence Series is set to revolutionise diagnostic testing forever. Offering unrivalled capabilities across all analysers, we truly believe that the Evidence Series range of immunoassay analysers can meet your diagnostic testing capabilities.
For more information on any of the Evidence Series analysers, visit https://www.randox.com/evidence-series/ or contact us evidenceseries@randox.com.
Randox Toxicology on Spain’s War with Heroin
Neighbourhoods across Spain recently came together to form the National Network of Cities and Neighbourhoods affected by Narcopisos, which are abandoned buildings used as drug flats. The Guardian reported how the organisation aims to raise awareness of Spain’s drug problem and shut down the empty properties being used as distribution points to buy, smoke and inject heroin.
Neighbours living close to narcopisos have described the scene as filthy, loud and dangerous. Blood, faeces and syringes have been found on the stairs and doorways to the buildings accompanied with people passing out or fighting. With cheap heroin of a poor quality, the largest narcopiso in Carrer d’en Roig was shut down after receiving up to 150 clients an hour. Barcelona’s city council cleaned up areas and secured properties in Raval as part of a €500,000 project. However, drug dealers are reportedly moving quicker than the courts and police.
When it comes to heroin, dealers do not discriminate and neither does the product. Business executives, pregnant women, teenagers and people with disabilities have all been victim to narcopisos in Spain. In areas such as La Linea de la Concepción, unemployment is at 80% and drug dealing is seen as an opportunity for the youth to make money. In 2017, director the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), Alexis Goosdeel reported, “Opioids and often heroin, are present in the majority of cases, often in combination with alcohol or benzodiazepine.”
Utilising our patented Biochip Array Technology, our DoA ULTRA panel offers the most comprehensive drugs of abuse screen across multiple forensic matrices. Detecting up to 20 targets drugs including heroin and other opioids, it has the largest cross-reactivity profile of over 240 analytes. Our excellent assay precision and performance eliminates false reporting, offering CVs of typically <10%. Randox Toxicology produce an accurate drug profile to ensure confidence in results.
For more information about our revolutionary Biochip Array and DoA ULTRA panel, email info@randoxtoxicology.com or visit www.randoxtoxicology.com
Randox Biosciences: dedicated to advancing scientific discovery
Randox Laboratories is an international clinical diagnostic solutions company with over 35 years’ experience in the industry. Randox is a global market leader, providing revolutionary products for laboratories worldwide and is dedicated to improving health.
Randox Biosciences is part of Randox Laboratories and is dedicated to advancing scientific discovery, drug development and diagnostics. Spanning four key divisions; Life Sciences, Pharma Sciences, Research and Molecular; Randox Biosciences offers complete tailored solutions for clinical and research use.
From initial cultivation of raw materials for assay development, through to providing companion diagnostics, custom and molecular based assays across a range of therapy areas; Randox Biosciences is a trusted partner supplying quality diagnostic solutions to the clinical, life science, pharmaceutical, research and biopharma industries. We specialise in supplying academic centres, genetics laboratories and the global biopharmaceutical industry with products tailored to their specific needs.
Randox Biosciences Research team encompasses a knowledgeable group of who are dedicated to assisting your research project to completion. Recently, the research team has expanded to include Business Development Executives in America to support academic centres of excellence achieve their potential while utilising our quality products. We are proud to welcome Rebecca Newburg who will be focusing her efforts on the US-Midwest market and Celestine Eshiet who will be working on the US -West Coast.
We cover five areas of research such as Sport and Exercise, Cardiovascular, Metabolic, Immunology and Oncology. These five areas include our Metabolic Syndrome Array 1 & 2, Cytokine Arrays and Cardiac Array including CK-MB, H-FABP, Myoglobin and Troponin.
If you work in an academic centre and are interested in our variety of arrays, analysers whether that be chemistry or immunoassay analysers, or our reagents or quality control please do not hesitate to contact us at info@randoxbiosciences.com.
Randox Quality Control Celebrate British Science Week 2018!
This British Science Week 2018, Randox Quality Control are celebrating the hard work our team puts in every day, to help bring the best Quality Control products to the market.
We caught up with Edward Hill, QC Product Specialist, to explain a bit about what his role involves and how Randox QC are impacting on global healthcare!
What is your position and what does it involve?
I am a QC Product Specialist at Randox Laboratories. This is a hugely varied role, and some of my general duties involve; creating educational material for laboratory professionals, conducting competitor comparisons to ensure we are always one step ahead of the competition, staying up-to-date with the latest industry trends and thinking of new and innovative ways to interact with our customer-base.
For those of us who aren’t in the industry, can you give us a brief snapshot of what Quality Control is and why we use it?
When a patient has their blood/urine/serum etc. taken, it must be sent to the laboratory for analysis. Laboratory professionals run the patient sample on a clinical instrument, which gives a quantitative result for each analyte. However, the laboratory professional does not know whether the value given by the instrument is correct or not. For this reason, the laboratory professional must use a Quality Control – which is a material designed to mimic the patient sample, and has a known concentration of each analyte.
When the laboratory professional runs the QC material on their instrument, they can compare the obtained result with the expected result. If these values are comparable, then the laboratory professional can be confident that their instrument is reporting accurately. Essentially, QC is a ‘practice run’ to ensure the testing system is working correctly.
How does your teams’ work impact on global healthcare?
Quality Control is a hugely important part of laboratory quality. Around 70% of clinical decisions are made based on laboratory results, so it is plain to see how significant Quality Control practices can be in relation to global health care. My work, as well as the work of the wider Quality Control team, is focused on making end-users aware of the importance of Quality Control. We aim to provide advice and recommendations to optimise accuracy and efficiency.
As a company, Randox prioritizes quality above all else, and this ethos is perfectly reflected by the Quality Control team. We work tirelessly to provide quality products and simplify the entire testing process – giving the laboratory professionals more time to do what they do best; provide accurate results time and time again.
What is your favourite Randox QC product and why?
My favourite QC product is the Acusera Liquid Cardiac Control. It’s my favourite control because it perfectly displays all the advantages of Acusera in a single product:
- Highly consolidated analyte list without any unnecessary extras, keeping costs low
- True third party
- Manufactured with 100% human serum, giving full commutability
- Liquid ready-to-use and suitable for POC testing
- Clinically relevant ranges, with ultra-low levels of Troponin I
- Long open vial stability of 30 days
Competitors often offer additional low level Troponin I controls. The thing I like most about the Acusera Liquid Cardiac Control is that the Troponin I levels are still lower than the ‘ultra-low level’ competitor controls – showing that Acusera gets it right the first time, rather than supplementing weak QC products with additional products at an extra cost.
Listen to our 24.7 podcast with QC Product Specialist, Edward Hill.
Find out more about British Science Week 2018.
If you would like further information on our Quality Control Products, contact acusera@randox.com.
Looking after your kidney health during your pregnancy
With this year’s World Kidney Day theme focusing on women’s health and in particular, their kidney health, the campaign is drawing attention to the need for a higher awareness, timely diagnosis and proper follow-up of kidney issues amongst women.
One key area being highlighted by the campaign is the close links between pregnancy and kidney health problems. The two are intrinsically connected – with CKD considered a high-risk factor for problematic pregnancies and reduced fertility, and in turn, pregnancy-related complications, including preeclampsia, can increase the risk of kidney disease.
Although not commonly known, women who have Chronic Kidney Disease are at increased risk of hypertensive disorders and premature births – which can be devastating for all involved.
Women with Chronic Kidney Disease who become pregnant also usually have mild kidney dysfunction, the severity of which will depend on the stage the CKD is at.
It is clear therefore that there is a need for increased awareness of Chronic Kidney Disease in pregnancy, to timely identify its existence before conception, and to monitor its progress before, during and after birth.
With a comprehensive panel of kidney health tests, Randox are working to ensure timely diagnosis of kidney function problems, to ensure that necessary treatment is administered at the earliest possible stage, when it is most likely to be successful.
Pregnant women, or women hoping to get pregnant in the future, can therefore determine their kidney health and be empowered to embark upon the necessary lifestyle changes or treatment required to ensure a safe and healthy pregnancy.
For example, the Randox test for albumin, low concentrations of which are the earliest marker of kidney damage, can identify individuals with diabetic nephropathy (damage to the kidneys caused by diabetes) around 10 years earlier than standard protein tests. The Randox albumin test can therefore enable preventative measures to be taken to reduce your risk of developing kidney disease.
In addition to albumin, there are a number of other highly specific and sensitive tests for kidney health, which are available as part of a Randox Health Check at our Randox Health Clinics. These include;
- Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate, which is an equation that considers age, gender, blood and protein levels to determine how well the kidneys are functioning.
- Creatinine, which is a waste product produced by muscle tissue, and removed by the kidneys. When kidney function is diminished, creatinine levels increase.
- Other proteins within the body which should be filtered by the kidneys, and are therefore measured to determine kidney function, include;
– Cystatin C
– Beta-2-Microglobulin
– Microalbumin, which is not usually found in urine, but can appear when normal kidney function is impaired.
- Minerals processed by the kidneys and analysed by Randox Health include;
– Magnesium
– Calcium
– Phosphate
– Potassium
– Sodium
Both World Kidney Day and Randox are working towards improving healthcare worldwide. With access to these high-performance kidney health tests, expectant mothers with kidney problems can be diagnosed early, before the condition develops into something more serious – keeping both you, and your baby healthy.
With early diagnosis we can improve patient treatment outcomes and reduce the number of people across the world suffering with kidney health problems.
If you are a clinician or lab interested in running renal function assays, download our Reagents Brochure or email reagents@randox.com
If you want to find out the status of your own Kidney Health, book a health check with Randox Health today. Speak to our team by phoning 0800 2545 130.
Randox Testing Services: Customer Testimonials from Ireland
At Randox Testing Services (RTS), we pride ourselves on helping our customers improve the health and safety of their working environment. Using our accurate and reliable testing methods and a range of additional services including training and policy reviews, we create tailored packages to meet the needs of our customers. We work with customers all over the world, but this month are highlighting the work we are doing across Ireland.
This month RTS will be attending the Northern Ireland Occupational Health, Hygiene and Wellbeing Conference at Titanic Belfast. This conference brings together companies from a range of industries all across Ireland to discuss the importance of employee health and wellbeing. As a company that began in Northern Ireland, RTS have always had strong connections with local businesses and are continually expanding our reach across Ireland.
Some of the companies with which we currently work, like GRAHAM construction, have recently provided feedback on our services. GRAHAM is based in Hillsborough, Co. Down and is a national construction, asset management and project investment business. They deliver services to a diverse range of clients from a network of regional offices, throughout the UK and Ireland.
“GRAHAM Construction are proud to be partnered with Randox as their main Drug & Alcohol Service Provider. Over the years they have given a consistent, prompt, efficient, and professional service that delivered what was promised, when promised, to the proper agreed standards, which assists us in managing our relevant responsibilities with ease and confidence. I would have no hesitation in recommending them to others.”
This is great feedback to receive from such a reputable company who have a range of different testing needs. The construction industry is becoming more and more proactive when it comes to drug and alcohol testing. At RTS our experience working with GRAHAM and other major construction firms across the UK and Ireland means we are extremely well equipped to deal with the changing needs of this industry.
Another industry which requires a flexible and reliable drug and alcohol testing services provider is the aviation industry, especially when it comes to recruitment. We have been working with CAE Parc Aviation Services, the global leader in the provision of aviation personnel and support services to conduct pre-employment testing.
“We use Randox for Pre-Employment and Random Drug & Alcohol testing for select clients. We would happily recommend their services.”
Again, through working with various industries, the experience our staff possess is second to none. By qualifying the exact needs of our customers we create customised, cost-effective packages to ensure all testing needs are met.
As well as offering drug and alcohol testing services, our complete solution also includes a host of training, educational and consultancy services to equip our customers in tackling drug and alcohol misuse. Including comprehensive chain of custody training programs, which enables employers to conduct on-site collections to the same standard as a Randox Testing Services collection specialist.
The Henderson Group in Newtownabbey are another large company that has availed of the services offered by Randox Testing Services. The Henderson Group are the owners of the SPAR, EUROSPAR, ViVO, ViVOXTRA and ViVO Essentials franchises in Northern Ireland and have been distributing food and grocery-related products to the convenience retail sector for over 100 years.
“We switched provider for our Drug and Alcohol policy almost two years ago, moving to Randox. The switchover was relatively seamless and the impact on our business has been positive. Our tests are now all completed within target and we have realised a saving to boot. We are glad we made the switch.”
Randox Testing Services is committed to tailoring our service to the needs of customers all over the world, and across the island of Ireland.
If your company would like to speak to us, please contact testingservices@randox.com
Alternatively you can contact David O’Regan, the Business Development Executive for Ireland directly: David.O’Regan@randox.com.
Take a proactive approach to your kidney health this World Kidney Day
On 8th March 2018, it’s World Kidney Day, a global campaign aimed at raising awareness of the importance of good kidney health. With a similar agenda to that of Randox, whose vision it is to ensure patients across the globe have access to the latest advancements in health technology, World Kidney Day works to reduce the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its associated health problems.
This year, the World Kidney Day theme is Kidneys and Women’s Health, to highlight that approximately 195 million women worldwide are affected by Chronic Kidney Disease. In 2018 World Kidney Day and International Women’s Day are recognised on the same date, offering the perfect opportunity to reflect on the importance of women’s health and specifically their kidney health.
CKD is currently the 8th leading cause of death in women, with close to 600,000 deaths each year.
According to some studies, CKD is more likely to develop in women compared with men, with an average 14% prevalence in women compared to 12% in men.
However, the number of women successfully put on dialysis for their Chronic Kidney Disease is lower than the number of men – potentially due to slower progression of the disease, inequitable access to transplantation, and a general lower disease awareness.
It is therefore fitting that World Kidney Day has chosen Women’s Health as its theme for this year – due to the clear need for a higher awareness, timely diagnosis and proper follow up of kidney issues amongst women.
With a comprehensive panel of kidney health tests, Randox are working to ensure timely diagnosis of kidney function problems, to ensure that necessary treatment is administered at the earliest possible stage, when it is most likely to be successful.
For example, the Randox test for albumin, low concentrations of which are the earliest marker of kidney damage, can identify individuals with diabetic nephropathy (damage to the kidneys caused by diabetes) around 10 years earlier than standard protein tests. The Randox albumin test can therefore enable preventative measures to be taken to reduce your risk of developing kidney disease.
In addition to albumin, there are a number of other highly specific and sensitive tests for kidney health, which are available as part of a Randox Health Check at our Randox Health Clinics. These include;
- Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate, which is an equation that considers age, gender, blood and protein levels to determine how well the kidneys are functioning.
- Creatinine, which is a waste product produced by muscle tissue, and removed by the kidneys. When kidney function is diminished, creatinine levels increase.
- Other proteins within the body which should be filtered by the kidneys, and are therefore measured to determine kidney function, include;
- Cystatin C
- Beta-2-Microglobulin
- Microalbumin, which is not usually found in urine, but can appear when normal kidney function is impaired.
- Minerals processed by the kidneys and analysed by Randox Health include;
- Magnesium
- Calcium
- Phosphate
- Potassium
- Sodium
Both World Kidney Day and Randox are working towards improving healthcare worldwide. With access to these high-performance kidney health tests, patients with kidney problems can be diagnosed early, before the condition develops into something more serious.
Although end stage kidney failure affects only 0.05% of the general population, it commands between one and two billion pounds a year of the entire annual NHS budget. We know that loss of kidney function is devastating and hope our innovations can identify those at risk of kidney problems before they occur.
One such test for Chronic Kidney Disease risk measures levels of the protective hormone adiponectin, and is available exclusively at Randox.
Adiponectin can accurately assess levels of hidden and dangerous visceral fat within the body, which is the main cause of almost all the disorders associated with metabolic syndrome, including Chronic Kidney Disease. Assessing adiponectin can determine risk of CKD, as well as a range of other illnesses including prediabetes, cardiovascular disease and various cancers.
By using adiponectin to assess risk of kidney problems, we can empower individuals with the tools they need to prevent kidney problems in their future.
With early diagnosis we can improve patient treatment outcomes and reduce the number of people across the world suffering with kidney health problems.
If you are a clinician or lab interested in running renal function assays, download our Reagents Brochure or email reagents@randox.com
If you want to find out the status of your own Kidney Health, book a health check with Randox Health today. Speak to our team by phoning 0800 2545 130.
