Comparison of standard test methods and point-of-care tests
| Characteristics . | Standard methods (IEF/HPLC) . | Point-of-care tests (Sickle SCAN, HemoTypeSC) . |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of machine/device | High | Low |
| Maintenance | Require regular maintenance | Do not require maintenance; one-time use and disposable |
| Reagents/consumables | Multiple reagents and consumables that require restocking and are often imported | Each test kit comes with its consumables |
| Detection of hemoglobin | Detect wider spectrum of hemoglobin variant | Detect limited number of hemoglobin variants |
| Number of samples per run | Can take many samples in a single run | Only 1 sample per run |
| Turnaround time | Take hours | Minutes |
| Cost per test | Expensive | Low cost |
| Power requirement | Require electricity to operate | Do not require electricity |
| Personnel | Require trained and highly skilled personnel to perform and interpret the test | Simple to perform and interpret |
| Mass screening | Unsustainable in low-resource countries | Has potential for deployment in mass screening in Africa with DBS for HemoTypeSC |
| Characteristics . | Standard methods (IEF/HPLC) . | Point-of-care tests (Sickle SCAN, HemoTypeSC) . |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of machine/device | High | Low |
| Maintenance | Require regular maintenance | Do not require maintenance; one-time use and disposable |
| Reagents/consumables | Multiple reagents and consumables that require restocking and are often imported | Each test kit comes with its consumables |
| Detection of hemoglobin | Detect wider spectrum of hemoglobin variant | Detect limited number of hemoglobin variants |
| Number of samples per run | Can take many samples in a single run | Only 1 sample per run |
| Turnaround time | Take hours | Minutes |
| Cost per test | Expensive | Low cost |
| Power requirement | Require electricity to operate | Do not require electricity |
| Personnel | Require trained and highly skilled personnel to perform and interpret the test | Simple to perform and interpret |
| Mass screening | Unsustainable in low-resource countries | Has potential for deployment in mass screening in Africa with DBS for HemoTypeSC |