The novel HemoCu plasma/low hemoglobin system accurately measures small concentrations of three different hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers in plasma: hemoglobin glutamer-200 (bovine) (Oxyglobin), hemoglobin glutamer-250 (bovine) (Hemopure), and hemoglobin-Raffimer (Hemolink).

UNLABELLED: The accuracy of the HemoCue Plasma/Low Hemoglobin System was validated in vitr. with low levels of hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers (HBOCs). Repeated measurements were performed on 50 samples of canine plasma, each mixed with three different HBOCs at varying small concentrations (a total of 150 samples), by using plasma samples without HBOCs as controls. Two technicians performed the measurements and randomly tested each sample 10 times. The results were analyzed for correlation, and analysis of variance was used to evaluate statistical significance, with a P value of </=0.05 considered significant. Hemoglobin concentrations determined with the bedside photometer were not significantly different from known values of hemoglobin concentration in the samples. There was no significant difference between values obtained by two independent observers for the same samples. This was true for all three tested HBOCs and for all tested concentrations. The mean bias of the measurement expressed as a percentage of sample concentration was 0.1% for hemoglobin glutamer-200 (bovine), 0.58% for hemoglobin glutamer-250 (bovine), and 0.19% for hemoglobin-raffimer. The mean error was <8% for all three HBOCs. Both intraobserver and interobserver reliabilities were high and statistically significant. The HemoCue Plasma/Low Hemoglobin System is a reliable instrument for detecting and measuring small concentrations of three different HBOCs in plasma. IMPLICATIONS: This study evaluated a new bedside blood-measuring device for low levels and found that it rapidly measured low levels accurately for three blood substitutes.