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Dried blood spots (DBS)

The collection of whole blood samples on paper, known as dried blood spot (DBS), dates back to the early 1960s in new-born infant screening for inherited metabolic disorders.

Dried-blood-spots-rev-JPEG.jpg – Vitas Analytical Services

DBS offers a number of advantages over conventional blood collection: inexpensive, less invasive, simpler collection, easier transport and storage, with reduced infection risk, and requires only a few drops of blood. The DBS blood collection platform is rapidly becoming an important basis for quantitative analyses of biomarkers.

There are several benefits of using DBS as a blood collection technique:

  • Sample collection at remote locations (home, school, fields, etc)

  •  No need for trained medical personnel (no venipuncture)

  •  Minimal invasion

  • Small volume (only a few drops needed)

  • Transportation by regular mail and at room temperature

  • Long-term stability

Vitas offers several types of kits for DBS blood collection. Single kits can be shipped by regular mail to individual addresses. Vitas can also offer kits for larger studies (100-100 000 kits). Please contact us to discuss what would suite your needs best.

We can develop assays for most biomarkers on demand. The degree of assay validation is agreed with the sponsor. There are many options for reporting. Typical biomarkers are:

  • Fatty acids

  • Amino acids

  • Vitamins

  • Cholesterol, triglycerides,

  • Carotenoids

  • Inflammation markers

  • C-peptide, glucose, CRP, IGF-1, PYY, HbA1c, etc

  • Comprehensive lipidomics (several hundred different lipids)

See our DBS instruction video to obtain optimal results