Comparison between the Mission Plus device and gold standard methods for measuring hemoglobin concentrations and packed cell volumes in cattle

Background: A point-of-care device that can provide immediate and reliable hemoglobin (Hb) concentrations and packed cell volumes (PCVs) would be useful in veterinary medicine.

Objectives: We aimed to compare the use of a human device (Mission Plus; MP) with a gold standard (GS) method for measuring Hb concentrations and PCVs in cattle blood.

Methods: Blood samples from clinically healthy cattle (n = 122) were collected with or without an anticoagulant (K₂ EDTA). The GS and MP methods were compared with correlation coefficients. Passing-Bablok regression analyses were also performed, and the acceptability judgment was completed using Bland-Altman plots.

Results: The CV_max for Hb values obtained using the GS method, the MP device without K₂ EDTA, and the MP device with K₂ EDTA were approximately 2.70%, 1.70%, and 2.0%, respectively, whereas the CV_max for PCVs was 0.90%, 1.83%, and 2.05%, respectively. A positive correlation (97.5% confidence interval) was observed between the Hb concentrations and PCV values detected using the MP and GS techniques in blood with and without K₂ EDTA. Bland-Altman plots showed agreement between the MP and GS methods. For Hb using blood collected with or without the addition of K₂ EDTA, the mean differences were -0.87 g/dL (95% CI: 1.35; -3.96) and 0.08 g/dL (95% CI: 2.16, -1.99), respectively. For PCVs using blood collected with or without the addition of K₂ EDTA, the mean differences were -3.75% (95% CI: 0.61. -8.12) and -0.88% (95% CI: 2.86, -4.62), respectively.

Conclusions: The MP device can be used to analyze Hb concentrations and PCVs in bovine blood to assist in field diagnoses.