Comparison of venous vs fingerprick potassium values
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Developing a hand-held sensor for potassium measurement
IRAS ID
85069
Contact name
Fiona Karet
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Kalium Health Ltd
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 3 months, 1 days
Research summary
Kidney patients, and others such as those with cardiovascular problems, can be endangered by very high potassium, with a small minority having the opposite problem of chronically low potassium. In both cases, using a fingerstick blood sample and a small kit to immediately check potassium would improve management and safety in the home or healthcare setting, and identify potentially life-threatening levels.
Beginning with university funding, a small spinout called Kalium Health Ltd (founded by the Chief Investigator) has developed a prototype handheld device for rapid point-of-care analysis of a fingerprick sample of whole blood for potassium levels, resembling a glucometer. It comprises single-use disposable sensors and a small reader.
We have thus far used laboratory fluids and ethically-approved canine venous-draw blood samples.
We next need to correlate the potassium concentrations in venous and fingerprick samples, in pilot cohorts of (a) healthy volunteers, (b) hyperkalaemic patients (eg late stage CKD/dialysis) and (c) hypokalaemics (eg those with Gitelman Syndrome or on diuretics). This application is for that study.REC name
London - Brighton & Sussex Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/PR/0942
Date of REC Opinion
27 Jul 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion