New machine to measure blood volume

[Sarah Tee]

I happened across this machine, which measures blood volume through blood samples taken before and after “rebreathing” (not exactly sure what that means):

https://detalo-health.com/demonstrating-blood-volume-measurement/

I wonder whether this will be suitable for us? I know several studies have found abnormal CO2 levels in the outbreath of OI patients. This says it uses CO, not CO2, so maybe it will be suitable.

It’s currently sold for use with athletes and the company is in the process of getting it recognised as a medical device. It is a Danish company.

I wonder how much it will cost. If I win the lottery I will donate one to the hospital clinic run by my old autonomic specialist. It says it can be operated by non-specialist medical staff i.e. anyone who can do the required blood tests before and after.

Or I could train in phlebotomy, put the machine in a nice truck, and drive around Australia with it!

But seriously, I will write them an email next week and suggest they mention it being used in autonomic disorders. They have other conditions listed as potential clinical applications so we could be added to the list.

 

[RecipeForDisaster]

I would just love to have this done. I wanted to do the Daxor test, which is supposed to be at Yale, but no one wants to order it. 

[MikeO]

34 minutes ago, RecipeForDisaster said:

I would just love to have this done. I wanted to do the Daxor test, which is supposed to be at Yale, but no one wants to order it. 

I did look at this at one time. not sure if it is a fit for me. I suspect a slice of rye bread is gives me more orthostatic issues (lol) working on it. 

[Sarah Tee]

@RecipeForDisaster, me too. I would like to prove (or disprove) that the treatmemts that make me feel better are normalising my blood volume.

My dad is a journalist and used to do a bit of PR as well. I’m hoing to set him the task of emailing various autonomic specialists to tell them about this machine, and emailing the company that makes it to encourage them to market it to autonomic labs.

I see that the company has a program to lend a device for free for two months to scientists/researchers. How great would it be if we can get one to some autonomic researchers in Europe? I know there is an autonomic research group in Sweden, just next door!

[Sarah Tee]

So, I have some interesting news. First, the medical version of the device has been approved for sale/use in Europe. A great first step.

Second, two researchers in Canada and the US have the device and are already working on studies with it! I won’t name them because the studies haven’t been announced formally yet, but will update as soon as I can. You will know the names/institutions.

(The original non-medical-certified version is fine for research purposes, sports science, etc. The certified version is for use in hospitals, treating patients.)

[Sarah Tee]

I understand a bit more about how it works now. They take a blood test. Then you breathe in a tiny amount of carbon monoxide, which binds to red blood cells and acts as a “tracer”. Then they take another blood test.

The blood is analysed and the values entered into software, which calculates the hemoglobin mass.

Err, this is where my knowlege peters out. I do know they have tested it against the isotope version and in various other ways and shown that it gives accurate results (studies published in journals).

[RecipeForDisaster]

 Wry exciting! Then they’ll need an ICD10 for low blood volume.

[Sarah Tee]

If your specialist is feeling cashed up, the medical version can be had for about $US55,000 including set-up and staff training.

Your country’s regulatory board would need to pass the device for medical use, but that shouldn’t be too difficult because it has been certified in Europe.

As well as the device itself, a blood gas analyser is required. Most hospitals would have this already. You would also need a staff member trained in phlebotomy to take blood samples before and after the CO2 rebreathing.

For research purposes, you can get the non-medical version for a bit less.

[Sarah Tee]

I noticed that researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden will be measuring blood volume (among many other variables) in a study on exercise intolerance in long COVID, and it looks like they will be using the Detalo Health device:

https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05445830?term=blood volume rebreathing&page=5&rank=44

I hope this will improve the understanding of exercise intolerance for all of us who suffer from it.