Validation of Diagnostics to Identify Glucose-6-phosphate Dehydrogenase Activity in the US

The primary objective of this study is to assess the accuracy of the SD Biosensor STANDARD G6PD Analyzer in measuring G6PD activity when used by trained health care workers.

This is a cross-sectional diagnostic accuracy study with up to 250 participants with a goal of obtaining 20 deficient and 20 intermediate samples. The clinic will recruit and consent study participants. Clinic staff will draw 3 whole blood samples and obtain finger stick capillary blood. G6PD activity is reported in terms of grams of hemoglobin (Hb), hence the hemoglobin concentration must be measured. Clinic staff will perform the investigational Standard Diagnostics (SD) Biosensor point-of-care (POC) test for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency and a HemoCue® hemoglobin test on finger stick capillary blood and on the venous blood samples. Another venous blood sample will be sent to a clinical laboratory improvement amendments (CLIA)-certified laboratory for reference testing by the gold standard assays: G6PD measurement by spectrophotometry using the Pointe Scientific G6PD reference assay hemoglobin measurement by a hematology analyzer Individuals identified as G6PD deficient with the reference test will be notified of their results by the clinic and referred to their physician for follow-up.

Participants provided whole blood samples as well as fingerstick capillary blood samples. At the clinic site lab, study staff conducted the SD Biosensor point-of-care G6PD test and the point-of-care HemoCue Hb test on both finger stick blood and whole blood samples. At the reference laboratory, G6PD activity was measured from whole blood samples using the Pointe Scientific G6PD reference assay and hemoglobin was measured using a hematology analyzer.

The SD Biosensor G6PD Analyzer is designed to measure the quantitative determination of total hemoglobin concentration and G6PD enzymatic activity in fresh human whole blood specimens based on reflectometry assays in a point-of-care setting. The test is intended to aid in the identification of people with G6PD deficiency. The test is currently not licensed for use in the US and is considered an investigational product.

The Pointe Scientific test kit will serve as the reference assay to assess G6PD activity. Its intended use is for the quantitative, kinetic determination of G6PD in blood at 340 nm.

The HemoCue hemoglobin (Hb) 201+ system is designed for quantitative point-of-care whole blood hemoglobin determination in primary care using a specially designed analyzer, the HemoCue Hb 201+ Analyzer, and specially designed microcuvettes, the HemoCue Hb 201+Microcuvettes.

For the purposes of this study, an individual was considered G6PD deficient if they tested positive in the Pointe Scientific assay. A true positive was defined as a participant with ≤ 30% of normal G6PD activity in circulating venous blood determined by the Pointe Scientific test. Diagnostic sensitivity of the SD Biosensor G6PD test is defined as the percentage of participants who tested positive for G6PD deficiency on the reference test who were identified by the test assay as positive, calculated as: Number of participants who were both test and true positive / (Number of participants who were test and true positive + Number of participants who were test negative but true positive [ie false negative]) * 100%. Sensitivity of the SD Biosensor POC G6PD test was calculated from both venous and capillary blood samples.

To investigate the performance of the SD Biosensor G6PD test to distinguish females with intermediate G6PD activity from females with normal activity, assay sensitivity was determined at a G6PD activity threshold of 70%. A true positive for intermediate G6PD activity in females was defined as G6PD activity between 30 and 70% of normal in circulating venous blood as determined by the Pointe Scientific test. Sensitivity of the SD Biosensor POC G6PD test is the percentage of women who tested positive for intermediate G6PD activity on the reference test who were identified by the test assay as positive, calculated as: Number of women who were both test and true positive / (Number of women who were test and true positive + Number of women who were test negative but true positive [ie false negative]) * 100%. Sensitivity of the SD Biosensor G6PD test for identifying females with intermediate G6PD activity was calculated from both venous and capillary blood samples.

For the purposes of this study, an individual was considered G6PD deficient if they tested positive by the Pointe Scientific assay. A true negative was defined as > 30% of normal G6PD activity in circulating venous blood as determined by the Pointe Scientific test. Specificity is the percentage of participants who tested negative for G6PD deficiency on the reference test who were identified as negative using the test assay, calculated as: Number of participants who were both test and true negative / (Number of participants who were test and true negative + Number of participants who were test positive but true negative [ie false positive]) * 100%. Specificity of the SD Biosensor G6PD test was calculated from both venous and capillary blood samples.

To investigate the performance of the SD Biosensor G6PD test to distinguish females with intermediate G6PD activity from females with normal activity, the specificity was determined at a G6PD activity threshold of 70%. A true negative for intermediate G6PD activity in females was defined as G6PD activity > 70% of normal in circulating venous blood as determined by the Pointe Scientific test. Specificity is the percentage of participants who tested negative for G6PD deficiency on the reference test who were identified as negative using the test assay, calculated as: Number of participants who were both test and true negative / (Number of participants who were test and true negative + Number of participants who were test positive but true negative [ie false positive]) * 100%. Specificity of the SD Biosensor G6PD test was calculated from both venous and capillary blood samples.

Accuracy between the SD Biosensor POC G6PD test assay and the Pointe Scientific G6PD reference assay was calculated as the percent agreement between both G6PD tests, ie, the percentage of participants with the same diagnosis according to both tests (either deficient, intermediate, or normal G6PD levels). Accuracy of the SD Biosensor G6PD test was calculated from both venous and capillary blood samples.

Accuracy Between the SD Biosensor POC G6PD Test Measure of Hemoglobin and the Reference Hemoglobin Test

Accuracy between the SD Biosensor POC G6PD test measure of hemoglobin and the hemoglobin reference assay was calculated as the percentage agreement between both tests, ie, the percentage of participants with the same diagnosis according to both tests (either non/mild anemia, moderate anemia or severe anemia).

Inclusion Criteria: -Willingness to provide consent Exclusion Criteria: -Blood transfusion in the past 90 days by self-report

Pal S, Myburgh J, Bansil P, Hann A, Robertson L, Gerth-Guyette E, Ambler G, Bizilj G, Kahn M, Zobrist S, Manis MR, Styke NA, Allan V, Ansbro R, Akingbade T, Bryan A, Murphy SC, Kublin JG, Layton M, Domingo GJ. Reference and point-of-care testing for G6PD deficiency: Blood disorder interference, contrived specimens, and fingerstick equivalence and precision. PLoS One. 2021 Sep 20;16(9):e0257560. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0257560. eCollection 2021.