Portable blood tests for evaluating concussions
Abbott Point of Care and the US Department of Defense have announced a collaboration to develop portable blood tests to help evaluate potential concussions, also called mild traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) - a significant health concern for military service members.
Detecting mild TBIs can be difficult as imaging technology may not show abnormalities and symptoms can be similar to or mistaken for other medical conditions. But research suggests that certain proteins are released in the bloodstream following a brain injury, such as a concussion.
The blood tests would be developed for Abbott’s i-STAT System, a handheld diagnostic analyser that is currently used for other point-of-care testing. With the development of new tests, physicians could use the information to optimise care for people with a suspected concussion.
“The quick and accurate diagnosis of a concussion is critical so that soldiers who are affected - whether on the battlefield or not - can be removed from duty to recover and to prevent further injury,” said Colonel Dallas C Hack, MD, Brain Health Coordinator, United States Army Medical Research and Materiel Command. “The Department of Defense collaboration with Abbott represents a major initiative to help improve efforts to understand this complex injury and care for wounded warriors suffering from this condition.”
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