Potential Point-of-Care Microfluidic Devices to Diagnose Iron Deficiency Anemia

Abstract

Over the past 20 years, rapid technological advancement in the field of microfluidics has produced a wide array of microfluidic point-of-care (POC) diagnostic devices for the healthcare industry. However, potential microfluidic applications in the field of nutrition, specifically to diagnose iron deficiency anemia (IDA) detection, remain scarce. Iron deficiency anemia is the most common form of anemia, which affects billions of people globally, especially the elderly, women, and children. This review comprehensively analyzes the current diagnosis technologies that address anemia-related IDA-POC microfluidic devices in the future. This review briefly highlights various microfluidics devices that have the potential to detect IDA and discusses some commercially available devices for blood plasma separation mechanisms. Reagent deposition and integration into microfluidic devices are also explored. Finally, we discuss the challenges of insights into potential portable microfluidic systems, especially for remote IDA detection.

Keywords: all-in-one; iron deficiency anemia; microfluidic; point-of-care.

Figure 1

(A) Design of three sophisticated POC system iPOC^3D microfluidic mixers simulated by 3D computational fluid dynamics: (i) Split-and-recombine (SAR) mixing, (ii) ring-shaped channel, and (iii) serpentine channel. Red flow is blood mixed with an aqueous solution (blue); green indicates complete mixing. (iv) Image of 3D printed, 3D-structured micro-mixer showing efficient mixing within 1 s using colored dye solutions [25]. (B) Setup for measuring hemoglobin concentration [26]. (C) Microfluidic immunoassay chip from Kartalov’s group. (i) The experiment used this 60-chamber polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) chip bound to a 1-inch-wide epoxide slide. (ii) Architectural diagram of the test column [30]. (D) Eight-channel PDMS microfluidic device for ferritin immunoassay detection demonstrated by Schrott et al. [32].

Figure 2

Technological solutions for micro-scale plasma separation. The image is adapted and modified from Reference. [45]–Published by The Royal Society of Chemistry.

Figure 3

(A) Test strip from SureStep® technology. (B) FABPulous device designed for heart-type fatty acid binding protein for diagnosis of acute coronary problem. Courtesy of FABpulous, image adapted from www.FAbpoulos.com. (C) Plasma collector by Liu et al. group, from [49,50]. and (D) In-lab self-built Red Blood Cells (RBC) filter adapted from Reference [53].

Figure 4

(A) Filter that uses matrix of a hydrophilic sintered porous material with different designs taken from Ref. [54]. Panel (B) (i) shows a 3D parylene-filter design by Liu et al. Images are modified from [55], where panel (B) (ii) shows 40 µm micropores that prevent clogging and panel (B) (iii) shows 2 micropores for plasma filtration. (C) H-filter paper-based device used by Kar et al. Image are modified from [56]. (D) Salt-functionalized paper used to separate plasma from blood by Nilghaz and Shen. Images are modified from [57].

Figure 5

Mixing-hole micro-channels, taken from Reference [67]. For the mixing hole channel, the samples that flow from the upper channel mix with the freeze-dried reagent in the mixing hole and subsequently flow to the lower channel. The device is used to detect hemagglutination.

Figure 6

Challenges for developing an all-in-one portable iron deficiency anemia (IDA).