Evaluation of four hematology and a chemistry portable benchtop analyzers using non-human primate blood

Background: Near patient testing (NPT) and point-of-care testing (POCT) using portable benchtop analyzers has become necessary in many areas of the medical community, including biocontainment. Methods: We evaluated the Beckman AcT diff, Abaxis Vetscan HMII (two instruments), Abbott Cell-Dyn 1800, and Abaxis Vetscan VS2 for within-run precision and correlation to central laboratory instruments using non-human primates blood. Results: Compared with the central laboratory instruments, the Beckman AcT diff correlated on 80%; the HMII instruments on 31% and 44%, the CD1800 on 31%, and the VS2 on 71% of assays. For assays with published manufacturers precision guidelines, the AcT diff met all nine, the HMII instruments met one and six of six, and the CD 1800 met one of six. Conclusions: Laboratories using NPT/POCT must test their individual instruments for precision and correlation, identify assays that are reliable, and exclude or develop supplemental procedures for assays that are not.