Turning Down the Volume: Strategies to Reduce Sample Volume From Babies to Adults

Course overview

The need to restrict sample volume and frequency is obvious in children but less so in adults. Iatrogenic anemia is common in both populations. A major contributor is dead volume required by robotic sample processing. In this session we will explore alternative techniques and sample types that preserve blood volume but do not compromise delivery of clinical information. The use of dried blood spots, volumetric absorptive microsampling, and the use of interstitial fluid will be addressed among other novel methods. Emphasis will be placed on both short-term adaptations and the longer-term need for market-driven innovation to preserve blood volume. After this presentation, participants will be able to: 1) List current deficiencies in sample collection and analysis that require excessive blood volume 2) Identify novel approaches to preserving blood volume without compromising clinical care 3) Describe necessary practice improvements that demand new market-driven processing and analytic solutions