Abstract
The advantages offered by centrifugal microfluidic systems have encouraged its rapid adaptation in the fields of in vitro diagnostics, clinical chemistry, immunoassays, and nucleic acid tests. Centrifugal microfluidic devices are currently used in both clinical and point-of-care settings. Recent studies have shown that this new diagnostic platform could be potentially used in extreme point-of-care settings like remote villages in the Indian subcontinent and in Africa. Several technological inventions have decentralized diagnostics in developing countries; however, very few microfluidic technologies have been successful in meeting the demand. By identifying the finest difference between the point-of-care testing and extreme point-of-care infrastructure, this review captures the evolving diagnostic needs of developing countries paired with infrastructural challenges with technological hurdles to healthcare delivery in extreme point-of-care settings. In particular, the requirements for making centrifugal diagnostic devices viable in developing countries are discussed based on a detailed analysis of the demands in different clinical settings including the distinctive needs of extreme point-of-care settings.
Highlights
IntroductionCentrifugal force-based systems have been used in various biological applications for many years, with the most modern form of this simple technology used even today in clinical laboratories
Centrifugal force-based systems have been used in various biological applications for many years, with the most modern form of this simple technology used even today in clinical laboratories.Centrifugal microfluidic technology combines the benefits of both microfluidics and centrifugal forces in a single device
Integrated systems using using centrifugal microfluidic technologies are ideally suited to current demands, and effective quantitative Extreme point of care testing (EPOCT) systems could be delivered if such systems are based on a clear understanding of the end user’s needs and relevant system functions
Summary
Centrifugal force-based systems have been used in various biological applications for many years, with the most modern form of this simple technology used even today in clinical laboratories. Centrifugal microfluidic technology has been identified as a strong candidate for point-of-care in vitro diagnostics (IVD) and has achieved significant commercial success [3,4]. These IVD procedures involve complex biological assays that usually require a sequence of steps, including sample preparation, incubation, washing, etc All of these steps can be integrated onto a single disc in a centrifugal microfluidic device [4]. When compared to other microfluidic technologies, centrifugal microfluidic technology has demonstrated many advantages like eliminating the need for multiple pumps, capability to process samples with a wide range of volume and to have pre-stored reagents, and simple and robust operation, which make the centrifugal microfluidic technology suitable for applications in point-of-care testing (POCT).
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