Method and apparatus for measuring analytes

Abstract

A method for measuring the concentration of various analytes in the blood of a part of a subject is provided An invasive or non-invasive sample of blood may be used for this determination Also provided is a device for measuring the concentration of a compound in the blood of a subject. The device comprises a source of electromagnetic radiation, a holder, a detector and a processing system.

1 . A device for measuring a concentration of one or more than one compound in a sample, comprising:
 a source of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) that emits one or more than one wavelength of EMR, the source of EMR being operatively coupled to a power source;   a holder for receiving a detachable receptor, the holder comprising one or more than one input in operable association with the source of EMR, one or more than one output in operable association with a detector, the one or more than one input and the one or more than output of the holder in optical alignment with one or more than one port located within the receptor, the one or more than one input and the one or more than output defining an EMR path through the holder and within the receptor, wherein, the sample when received by the receptor is placed within the EMR path;   the detector for measuring transmitted or reflected EMR received from the sample, the detector operatively coupled to a processing system;   the processing system comprising one, or more than one calibration algorithm for determining a concentration for the one or more than one compound.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the detachable receptor is sized to fit over a portion of a body part. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the detachable receptor is sized to fit over a drop of blood located on the body part. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1  comprising a second path of EMR through the holder and within the detachable receptor, wherein the second path of EMR interacts with the sample at a location separate from that of the EMR path, the second path of EMR is in operative association with the source of EMR or a second source of EMR. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the detachable receptor or the holder further comprises an apparatus for lancing a body part when the body part is positioned with the receptor. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the holder is a probe, the probe being removable from the source of EMR, the detector, or both the source of EMR and detector, and the probe being optically associated with the source of EMR and the detector. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the receptor comprises a matrix that can wick the sample off a surface of a body part. 
     
     
         8 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the compound is selected from the group consisting of hemoglobin, Oxy-Hb, % oxy-Hb, “Oxy-Hb plus Deoxy-Hb”, “Total-Hb minus Met-Hb”, Met-Hb, % met-Hb, Carboxy-Hb, % CO-Hb, Sulf-Hb, HbA 1c , cholesterol, glucose, a fat, a protein, a glycoprotein, a lipoprotein, a carbohydrate, a steroid, an amino acid, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, cortisol, creatine, creatinine, a ketone, a lipid, urea, a fatty acid, glycosolated hemoglobin, alcohol, lactate, an ion, Ca 2+ , K + , Cl − , HCO 3   − , HPO 4   −  and an antioxidant. 
     
     
         9 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the source of EMR comprises wavelengths from about 300 nm to about 2500 nm n. 
     
     
         10 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the source of EMR comprises wavelengths from about 500 nm to about 1100 nm. 
     
     
         11 . A method of determining the concentration of one or more than one compound in a sample of blood comprising,
 (a) placing a receptor over a portion of a body part, the body part having a sample of blood thereon,   (b) directing a source of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) through the receptor and onto the sample of blood;   (c) measuring a quantity of the EMR reflected by, or transmitted through, the sample of blood with a detector; and   (d) performing a quantitative mathematical analysis of the quantity of EMR using an algorithm, and determining the concentration of the one or more than one compound in the sample of blood.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the one or more than one compound is selected from the group consisting of a fat, a protein, a glycoprotein, hemoglobin, Oxy-Hb, % oxy-Hb, “Oxy-Hb plus Deoxy-Hb”, “Total-Hb minus Met-Hb”, Met-Hb, % met-Hb, Carboxy-Hb, Co-Hb, Sulf-Hb, HbA 1c , cholesterol, glucose, a fat, a protein, a glycoprotein, a lipoprotein, a carbohydrate, a steroid, an amino acid, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, cortisol, creatine, creatinine, a ketone, a lipid, urea, a fatty acid, glycosolated hemoglobin, alcohol, lactate, an ion, Ca 2+ , K + , Cl − , HCO 3   − , HPO 4   −  and an antioxidant. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein prior to the step of placing (step a)), the body part is lanced so that the sample of blood is produced on the surface of the body part. 
     
     
         14 . The method  claim 11 , wherein prior to the step of placing (step (a)), the receptor is placed within a holder. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein after the step of measuring (step (c)) the receptor is removed from the holder. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein in the step of measuring (step (b)), the source of EMR comprises wavelengths from about 300 nm to about 2500 nm. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein in the step of measuring (step (b)), the source of EMR comprises wavelengths from about 500 nm to about 1100 nm. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein in the step of placing (step (a)), the sample is wicked within the receptor. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein in the step of directing (step (b)), a second source of EMR is directed to the body part, and a measurement of background is obtained. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein in the step of directing (step (b)), a second source of EMR is directed to the body part, and in the step of measuring (step (c)), a non-invasive measurement is made of one or more compound within the body part. 
     
     
         21 . A method of determining the concentration of one or more than one compound in a sample of blood comprising,
 (a) placing a receptor over a portion of a body part;   (b) lancing the body part located within the receptor to produce a sample of blood on the surface of the body part,   (c) directing a source of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) through the receptor and onto the sample of blood;   (d) measuring a quantity of the EMR reflected by, or transmitted through, the sample of blood with a detector; and   (e) performing a quantitative mathematical analysis of the quantity of EMR using an algorithm, and determining the concentration of the one or more than one compound in the sample of blood.   
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the compound is selected from the group consisting of a fat, a protein, a glycoprotein, hemoglobin, Oxy-Hb, % oxy-Hb, “Oxy-Hb plus Deoxy-Hb”, “Total-Hb minus Met-Hb”, Met-Hb, % met-Hb, Carboxy-Hb, % CO-Hb, Sulf-Hb, HbA 1c , cholesterol, glucose, a fat, a protein, a glycoprotein, a lipoprotein, a carbohydrate, a steroid, an amino acid, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, cortisol, creatine, creatinine, a ketone, a lipid, urea, a fatty acid, glycosolated hemoglobin, alcohol, lactate, an ion, Ca 2+ , K + , Cl − , HCO 3   − , HPO 4   −  and an antioxidant. 
     
     
         23 . The method  claim 21 , wherein prior to the step of placing (step (a)), the receptor is placed within a holder. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein after the step of measuring (step (d)) the receptor is removed from the holder. 
     
     
         25 . The device according to  claim 21 , wherein the source of EMR comprises wavelengths from about 300 nm to about 2500 nm. 
     
     
         26 . The device according to  claim 21 , wherein the source of EMR comprises wavelengths from about 500 nm to about 1100 nm. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein in the step of lancing (step (b)), the sample is wicked within the receptor. 
     
     
         28 . The device according to  claim 8 , wherein the fatty acid is an omega-3 fatty acid, an omega-6 fatty acid, or an omega-9 fatty acid. 
     
     
         29 . The device according to  claim 28 , wherein the omega-3 fatty acid is α-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, or docosahexaenoic acid. 
     
     
         30 . The device according to  claim 28 , wherein the omega-6 fatty acid is linoleic acid, gamma-linolenic acid, eicosadienoic acid, dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid, arachidonic acid, docosadienoic acid, adrenic acid, or docosapentaenoic acid. 
     
     
         31 . The device according to  claim 28 , wherein the omega-9 fatty acid is oleic acid, eicosenoic acid, mead acid, erucic acid or nervonic acid. 
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the fatty acid is an omega-3 fatty acid, an omega-6 fatty acid, or an omega-9 fatty acid. 
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 32 , wherein the omega-3 fatty acid is α-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, or docosahexaenoic acid. 
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 32 , wherein the omega-6 fatty acid is linoleic acid, gamma-linolenic acid, eicosadienoic acid, dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid, arachidonic acid, docosadienoic acid, adrenic acid, or docosapentaenoic acid. 
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 32 , wherein the omega-9 fatty acid is oleic acid, eicosenoic acid, mead acid, erucic acid or nervonic acid. 
     
     
         36 . The device according to  claim 22 , wherein the fatty acid is an omega-3 fatty acid, an omega-6 fatty acid, or an omega-9 fatty acid. 
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 36 , wherein the omega-3 fatty acid is u-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, or docosahexaenoic acid. 
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 36 , wherein the omega-6 fatty acid is linoleic acid, gamma-linolenic acid, eicosadienoic acid, dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid, arachidonic acid, docosadienoic acid, adrenic acid, or docosapentaenoic acid. 
     
     
         39 . The method according to  claim 36 , wherein the omega-9 fatty acid is oleic acid, eicosenoic acid, mead acid, erucic acid or nervonic acid. 
     
     
         40 . The device according to  claim 8 , wherein the antioxidant is Vitamin E. 
     
     
         41 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the antioxidant is Vitamin E. 
     
     
         42 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein the antioxidant is Vitamin E.