Beckman Coulter Expands Test Menu on UniCel® DxC and Synchron® CX and LX Analyzers With Amylase EPS-G7 Assay

Beckman Coulter has expanded the general chemistry test menu on its UniCel® DxC and Synchron® family of chemistry systems with the release of Amylase EPS-G7, used for the quantitative determination of a-Amylase enzyme in human serum, plasma or urine.

The new test, manufactured by Thermo Fisher Scientific and distributed by Beckman Coulter, aids in the diagnosis and monitoring of conditions related to acute pancreatitis. This condition affects approximately 80,000 people each year in the United States alone—with many more worldwide.

Acute pancreatitis is characterized by serum levels that are grossly elevated (four- to six-fold) above the upper reference limit. In acute pancreatitis, a-Amylase levels start to rise five to eight hours after the onset of symptoms, reaching a peak between 12 and 72 hours and returning to normal levels by the third or fourth day. Elevated a-Amylase in plasma may also indicate salivary trauma, mumps or renal failure.

Reagents and calibrators for the Amylase EPS-G7 assay are liquid and ready-to-use, which eliminates the need for mixing, hydrating or pre-diluting reagents before testing.

In addition to a growing general chemistry menu, Beckman Coulter also offers a wide range of tests for anemia, autoimmune, cardiac, diabetes, drugs of abuse, general chemistry, hepatic, infectious diseases, lipids, inflammatory, nutritional assessment, renal, specialty, STAT testing, therapeutic drug monitoring, thyroids and toxicology.