[Evaluation of the test strip Reflotron ALP (alkaline phosphatase) for blood samples of dogs and cats].

The test strip Reflotron ALP (alcaline phosphatase) was evaluated for use in canine and feline heparinized blood samples. The within-run and the day-to-day precision of blood and plasma samples was excellent. A haematocrit up to 60% of canine blood and up to 50% of feline blood had no influence on the measurements. Reflotron ALP was compared with ALP on Hitachi 717 (Boehringer Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany). The correlation of both methods was good for canine and feline blood samples. Reflotron ALP was higher than Hitachi ALP in both species. Despite an enormous deviation between Reflotron ALP and the reference method of canine and feline blood samples within the reference range, Reflotron ALP is a suited test for the detection of elevated ALP activity in canine and feline blood samples. Differences of the ALP activity might be caused by ALP isoenzymes. The activity of ALP isoenzymes depends on the method. The buffer systems of Reflotron ALP and Hitachi ALP are different. Significant exceeding of the reference range was reliably detected. In this investigation the study results for heparinized whole blood, heparinized plasma and serum are approximately the same.