Ion-Exchange Chromatography is one of the tests conducted by Trinity Biotech to see if a person has abnormal haemoglobin levels in the blood. It is one of the most accurate tests available to determine the level of glucose in a patient’s blood. This helps a physician to both monitor that level and advise regimens that can help keep that glucose level under control so that the patient has a lower chance of experiencing adverse health conditions such as heart disease or nerve damage.
Features
Ion-Exchange chromatography involves separating haemoglobin molecules by their charge. As haemoglobin molecules are positively charged, they are passed through a negatively-charged resin packed into a column. Due to the opposite charges of the molecules and the resin, they interact with each other and move slower than the negatively-charged particles, thereby leading to the haemoglobin molecules binding to the resin.
Benefits
Ion-Exchange chromatography has the ability to separate haemoglobin A1c from other forms of haemoglobin via a chromatographic column. It also has the added advantage over other types of tests by providing both an A1c value and identification of regularly occurring haemoglobin variant traits that can distort A1c results.
At one time in the past, a major detriment to this testing was the amount of time and work that needed to be put into it in order to gain these detailed, accurate results to help patients monitor their glucose levels. However, advancements in technology have enabled modern laboratories to utilize this test on hematology automation platforms. The tests can be done faster and with less worker intervention yet still provide the benefits a patient expects from this type of test.
Another benefit to this type of testing is that it can accommodate high flow rates, which can lead to the recovery of active protein. IE chromatography can also be used as a purification step after the use of HIC (hydrophobic interaction chromatography).
