Abstract:
An approach is provided for a method and device for measuring Hematocrit (Hct) are disclosed that measures current variations from reactions of Electrochemistry on the electrodes. The method comprises acts of giving a blood sample on a pair of electrodes, obtaining a response current by providing a voltage on the electrodes, and determining an Hct value from the obtained current based on a predetermined rule. Therefore, the present disclosure provides higher reliable and precise measurement compared to the conventional measuring apparatus.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    Embodiments of the present invention relate to a detecting method and device, and especially toward a method for measuring hematocrit (Hct) and a detecting device applying the method. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Hematocrit (Hct), also known as packed cell volume (PCV), refers to a volume percentage (%) of red blood cells in blood. Hct is conventionally used as a target index to diagnosis anemia or cardiovascular disease. However, Hct is also an important factor to influence the blood sugar level in a blood sugar test. Therefore, the Hct of a testee should be detected first to calibrate blood sugar in the blood sugar test to increase the accuracy of the test. 
         [0003]    A conventional hematocrit test is operated by an examiner, a clinical staff, or a specific machine, such as a hemocytometer. However, manual examination usually has procedure complexity and is time consuming, and machine operation has disadvantage of higher purchase cost and more maintenance requirements. 
         [0004]    Therefore, there is a need to develop a method or a mechanism to improve the accuracy and reliability of a hematocrit test, and to simplified operation procedure to proceed the test. 
       SOME EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
       [0005]    These and other needs are addressed by the present invention, wherein an approach is provided for a method and device for measuring hematocrit (Hct) device. 
         [0006]    According to one aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, a method for measure the hematocrit comprises steps of adding a blood sample on a pair of detecting electrode, obtaining a response current by providing a voltage to the pair of detecting electrode; and finally obtaining a hematocrit value according to a predetermined rule and the response current. 
         [0007]    According to another aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, a device for measuring a hematocrit comprises a detector and a measuring apparatus. The detector comprises a pair of detecting electrode having a receiving portion and a contacting portion. The receiving portion is used to accept a blood sample. The measuring apparatus connects to the contacting portion of the detector and provides a voltage to the contacting portion based on a predetermined rule to measure a Hematocrit of the blood sample. 
         [0008]    Therefore, the embodiment of the present invention provides a simple operating measuring method and device for obtaining an accurate and reliable result than a conventional test trip. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The invention is illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals refer to similar elements and in which: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of an embodiment of a hematocrit detecting device in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is an exposure view of a detector of an embodiment of the hematocrit detecting device in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a an exposure view of a detector of another embodiment of the hematocrit detecting device in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a schematic view of an embodiment of the hematocrit detecting device in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIGS. 5A to 5C  show the relationship between response current and time in different embodiments. 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a flow chart illustrates the procedure of the hematocrit detection method in accordance with the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0016]    A method for measuring the hematocrit is disclosed. In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It is apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the invention may be practiced without specific details or with an equivalent arrangement. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0017]    With reference to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 1  is a schematic view of an embodiment of a hematocrit detecting device in accordance with the present invention. The hematocrit detecting device comprises a detector  10  and a measuring apparatus  20 . The detector  10  comprises a pair of detecting electrodes  110  having a receiving portion  111  and a contacting portion  112 . The receiving portion  111  is configured for accepting a blood sample. The measuring apparatus  20  connects to the contacting portion  112  of the pair of the detecting electrode  110  and provides a voltage to the contacting portion  112  based on a predetermined rule to measure a hematocrit of the blood sample. 
         [0018]    The measuring apparatus  20  comprises a pair of connector  210 , a reference voltage source  220  and a controller  230 . Each connector  210  has a first terminal that is configured to connect with the contacting portion  112 . The reference voltage source  220  connects to a second terminal of one of the connectors  210 , and provides the voltage for measurement. The controller  230  is connected to a second terminal of another connector  210  and the reference voltage source  220 , and receives a response current from the conducted detector  10  for measuring the hematocrit of the blood sample. 
         [0019]    With reference to  FIGS. 2 to 4 ,  FIG. 2  is an exposure view of a detector of an embodiment of the hematocrit detecting device in accordance with the present invention.  FIG. 3  is an exposure view of a detector of another embodiment of the hematocrit detecting device in accordance with the present invention.  FIG. 4  is a schematic view of an embodiment of the hematocrit detecting device in accordance with the present invention. In  FIG. 3 , an embodiment of the detector  10  is designed as a test strip, comprising a substrate  100 , a pair of detecting electrode  110 , an insulating piece  130  and a cover  140 . The detecting electrodes  110  are mounted on the substrate  100 . The insulating piece  130  comprises an opening  131  and is placed on the substrate  100 , partially covers above the detecting electrodes  110 , which makes a portion of rear ends of the detecting electrodes  110  exposed. The opening  131  is positioned at a front end of the insulating piece  130 , which makes a portion of front end of the detecting electrode  110  being exposed. 
         [0020]    Accordingly, the receiving portion  111  of the pair of detecting electrode  110  is defined as the portion exposure by the opening  131 . The contacting portion  112  is defined as the detecting electrode  110  positioned at the rear end of substrate  100  which is not covered by the insulating piece  131 . 
         [0021]    With reference to  FIG. 4 , in another embodiment, the detector  10  further comprises a surfactant  120 . The surfactant  120  is placed on the substrate  100  and covers the receiving portion  111  of the detecting electrode  110 . 
         [0022]    The cover  140  is disposed on the insulating piece  130 , and comprises a conductive concave  141  and a conductive hole  142 . The conductive concave  141  is formed on a front end of the cover  140  and is configured for overlapping with the opening  131  of the insulating piece  130 . The conductive hole  142  is formed on the cover  140  correspond to the opening  131  of the insulating piece  130  that forms a pathway. 
         [0023]    In an embodiment, the substrate  100  is an insulating substrate and is made of non-conductive material selected from the group consists of: polyethylene terephthalate (PET), Polyvinylchloride (PVC), Flame Resistant glass fiber (FR-4), phosphatidylcholine (PC). Polyethylene (PE), Polypropylene (PP), Polystyrene (PS), Polyester sulphone, ceramic plate (CEM) and glass. The material of the insulating piece  130  and the cover  10  does not have special limitation and can be the same material used as the substrate  100 . 
         [0024]    In an embodiment, the pair of detecting electrode  110  is made of a conductive material and is not limited as a metal. The pair of detecting electrode  110  might be sputtered, evaporated or printed as any pattern to form an electrode pattern on the substrate  100 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the pair of detecting electrode  110  comprises two opposite L-shaped electrodes. Two shorter edges are parallel and are disposed on the front end of the substrate  100 . Two longer edges also are parallel and are extended to the rear end of the substrate  100 . 
         [0025]    A blood sample is collected by a lancet and is dropped onto the conductive hole  142 . The conductive pathway between conductive hole  142  and the opening  131  of the insulating piece  130  exists a capillary action to guide the blood sample flowed from the opening  131  to the detector  10 . Therefore, the blood sample contacts with the pair of detecting electrode  110  covered with the surfactant  120 . The measuring apparatus  20  is turned on by connecting the contactor  112  of the pair of detecting electrode  110  and the connectors  210  of the measuring apparatus  20 . 
         [0026]    The controller  230  drives the reference voltage source  220  for providing a voltage between the pair of detecting electrode  110 . The voltage creates an electrochemical reaction while contacting with the surfactant  120  and/or the blood sample to form a response current. The response current changes with the hematocrit of the blood sample. The controller  230  reads the response current to obtain the hematocrit of the blood sample. During a period of time, the controller  230  has capability to distinguish hematocrit of variant blood samples by different response current. 
         [0027]    With reference to  FIGS. 5A to 5C ,  FIGS. 5A to 5C  show the relationship between response current and time in different embodiments. As shown in the  FIG. 5A , the response current of blood sample without adding the surfactant is decreasing with increased hematocrit, that is, in the condition of zero surfactant added, the response current of blood sample with 40% hematocrit is higher than the blood sample with 30% hematocrit, and so on. The variation of response current is relative weak in the blood sample with higher hematocrit. Therefore, as shown in  FIG. 5B , in the condition of the surfactant is added, the response current of blood sample with hematocrit by 41% is higher than by 60%. Also, the  FIG. 5C  shows the relationship between response current and time while detecting blood samples with different hematocrit values by 38%, 69%, and 75%. 
         [0028]    Accordingly, it is noted that the surfactant  120  both has characteristic of hydrophobic and hydrophilic to increase the detection stability while being homogenous spread in the plasma. 
         [0029]    In an embodiment, the surfactant  120  is selected from the group consists of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)—Triton X-100, TWEEN 20, TWEEN 40, TWEEN 60, Span 20, Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), sodium cholate and Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate (SDS). 
         [0030]    In another embodiment, the voltage be inputted into the pair of detecting electrodes  110  is between 1 and 3 volts, and the period of time is between 0.01 and 1 second. In order to increase detection accuracy and efficiency to obtain a precise hematocrit value, the controller  230  has to be set in advance (for example, pre-set up by an electrochemistry aperture) and stores data of different values of hematocrit to calculate the corresponding response current. 
         [0031]    With reference to  FIG. 6 ,  FIG. 6  is a flow chart illustrates the procedure of the hematocrit detection method and comprises steps of S 10  adding a blood sample on a pair of detecting electrode; S 12  obtaining a response current by providing a voltage to the pair of detecting electrode; and S 14  obtaining a hematocrit value according to a predetermined rule and the response current. 
         [0032]    In the step S 10  of adding a blood sample on a pair of detecting electrode is based on the type of the detecting electrode. In an embodiment, the blood sample is added on a pair of detecting electrode with a spread surfactant. 
         [0033]    The predetermined rule comprises multiple hematocrit data. The hematocrit data at least comprises multiple hematocrit values detected under different voltages that establish relationships between hematocrit values and the response currents. 
         [0034]    Accordingly, compared with a conventional detection, the present invention provides a simple operating measuring method to obtain an accurate and reliable result. 
         [0035]    While the invention has been described in connection with a number of embodiments and implementations, the invention is not so limited but covers various obvious modifications and equivalent arrangements, which fall within the purview of the appended claims. Although features of the invention are expressed in certain combinations among the claims, it is contemplated that these features can be arranged in any combination and order.