Quantitative Ketone Test for Clinical Ketosis Detection

The β-Hydroxybutyrate LiquiColor^® from Aspect Scientific is an automated, quantitative ketone test used to detect ketosis, a condition where the body begins to use stored fat for energy when there's an insufficient supply of carbohydrates.

Ketosis results in the production of ketones, including acetone, acetoacetate, and ß-hydroxybutyrate, during the metabolism of fatty acids in the liver. Typically, these ketones are broken down into carbon dioxide and water. However, in ketosis, the body produces more ketones than it can process, disrupting the body's chemical balance, which can be fatal if left untreated.

Detecting ketosis is crucial in clinical settings, especially for diagnosing ketoacidosis in diabetics, a potentially life-threatening condition resulting from excessive ketone buildup in the blood. Measuring ketone levels aids in diagnosing Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) and monitoring treatment results.

The American Diabetes Association recommends testing diabetics for ketones when ketoacidosis symptoms are present, during illness or stress, or when blood glucose levels exceed 240 mg/dL. Quantitative β-Hydroxybutyrate results are particularly valuable as β-Hydroxybutyrate is the primary ketone produced during ketosis (78%), while traditional nitroprusside methods detect just 22% of ketones present.

These quantitative results provide a more reliable tool for early detection of clinically significant ketosis, improving turnaround times and enabling ongoing monitoring. The test utilises ready-to-use liquid reagents with a ß-Hydroxybutyrate Standard included, making it accessible for serum or plasma specimens and compatible with automated Biochemistry analyser applications.

Moreover, controls and linearity standards are available, and quantifiable results can be easily captured in your Laboratory Information System (LIS), ensuring high sensitivity and precision in ketone level measurements.

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