Hand-Powered Centrifuge for Diagnosing Anemia
Author Information
Author(s): Jocelyn Brown, Lauren Theis, Lila Kerr, Nazima Zakhidova, Kelly O'Connor, Margaret Uthman, Z. Maria Oden, Rebecca Richards-Kortum
Primary Institution: Rice University
Hypothesis
Can a hand-powered centrifuge accurately measure hematocrit values in low-resource settings?
Conclusion
The hand-powered centrifuge can accurately determine hematocrit values and is suitable for use in low-resource settings.
Supporting Evidence
- The hand-powered centrifuge was constructed for less than $35.
- It can accurately determine hematocrit values without needing electricity.
- The packed cell volume measured with the hand-powered device correlated linearly with results obtained with a benchtop centrifuge.
- The centrifuge weighs only 1.2 kg and is portable.
- User fatigue was rated as extremely light after 1 minute of pumping.
Takeaway
Researchers made a simple, hand-powered centrifuge that can help doctors check for anemia without needing electricity.
Methodology
A hand-powered centrifuge was constructed using a salad spinner, and hematocrit values were measured and compared with a benchtop centrifuge.
Potential Biases
Limited human resources in low-resource settings could pose a barrier to user adoption.
Limitations
The performance of the centrifuge needs further assessment under clinical conditions with more patient samples.
Participant Demographics
Participants included healthy men and women.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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