What is the VHC-Reader?

The Vitality-Health-Check Health Reader platform (VHC-Reader) is suitable for use in the quantitative and qualitative evaluation of measurement results obtained with any standard lateral flow test format based on color change. It can also be used to analyze test strips without housing.

The cube-shaped device has an edge length of approx. 41 mm, making it probably the world’s smallest reader that will even fit into a pocket. It weighs only 40 grams. The VHC-reader is inexpensive and very user-friendly since it has only one operating button. The clear test result is displayed after just 3 seconds.

The first applications include the parameters Vitamin-D from a capillary blood sample (fingerprick) and Cortisol from a sputum sample.

What are the features of the VHC-Reader ?

The Vitality Health Check Health Reader (VHC -Reader) is a novel portable professional health monitor. It allows to generate reliable results regarding important health-status parameters at any point of care. Core features are:

- Run multiple tests on one platform
- Relevant health parameters
- Fits in any pocket
- Cost-effective
- Results within seconds
- Clear semi-quantitative and quantitative measurements
- Straightforward client consultation
- Small sample sizes
- Samples: capillary blood, sputum, urine
- Detects low signals not visible to the human eye
- Battery operated
- Electronic documentation
- Interface for data management
- Designed to support various professional user groups

How can I buy the VHC Vitamin-D test or become a distributor?

The Vitality-Health-Check platform and test kits are sold through a network of distributors, specialized on a specific point of care test applications.
For more information about appointed distributors or on how to become a distributor please send us a request via the contact form.

Why is each VHC Vitamin-D test cassette sealed in a single pouch?

The antibodies and chemicals on the strip in the VHC Vitamin-D Test cassette are moisture sensitive. If the pouch of the cassette is damaged or the cassette is stored for an extended period outside of the pouch until the test is performed they may degrade and produce invalid results.

How often should I check my Vitamin D blood level?

There are two different situations, in regard to this question:

a) You have been diagnosed with a low Vitamin D blood level and have started to fill up your vitamin D with supplement intake according to the advice of a vitamin D specialist:

If you alter your body’s daily uptake or production of vitamin D to a higher level than before, your blood vitamin D level is showing daily fluctuations for up too about two months until it stabilizes again. Right after the first activation step in the liver, vitamin D blood levels will rise, but then lower again, because it is absorbed by the cells of your body filling up their internal vitamin D storages for immediate requirements. Also, your fat cell will deplete part of the vitamin D in the blood and fill up your long-term vitamin D storage. It may take up to two months until this process reaches a new steady stake again. Thus you should wait for this period to reevaluate the success of your attempt to raise your blood vitamin D level to a higher level than before and to decide on whether you need to fill up more or you may continue with a supplementation sufficient to maintain the vitamin D blood level achieved,

b) Your daily vitamin D supplementation is stable and changes in overall vitamin D blood level are mainly caused by seasonal changes of vitamin D production in your skin:

You should check your blood vitamin D level at least two times per year in autumn and spring in order to decide on whether your body would benefit from additional vitamin D supplementation.

How to use the VHC Vitamin-D Test to identify the individual maintainance dosage required to keep Vitamin D at an optimal level?

Based on a recent VHC Vitamin D test result, the blood vitamin D level you want to achieve level r maintain, your body weight, and some additional personal parameters, your vitamin D consultant/therapist is able to estimate your individual daily vitamin D requirements. However, this first assumption might need to be adjusted due to your body’s individual ability to resort and activate vitamin D provided as a supplement. He/she might thus recommend you to come back after about 2 months in order to run a second VHC Vitamin-D test and use its result to either confirm or readjust your daily supplementation recommendation for vitamin D.

What may be the reason that the VHC-Reader shows “INVALID”, if I start testing?

In the process of quantification, the VHC-Reader is checking the intensity of the c(ontrol) line, that is implemented as in process control for accurate performance of the lateral flow in the test cassette.

If the C line is blurred or does not show up with a defined minimum intensity, there is some issue with the test performance and thus the VHC-Reader regards the test as INVALID and thus it is not quantified.

Please make sure that you did not accidentally switch the VHC-Reader to Direct-Mode instead of a Timer-Mode. If this is the case, the VHC-Reader performed an immediate measurement instead of initiating the 15 minutes countdown. As the control line is showing up only several minutes after the test has started, there is no control line at this stage and thus the VHC-Reader came up with this error.
This error may also show up if the cassette was accidentally placed in the wrong orientation in the adaptor, as the test line is usually much weaker than the intensity expected for the control line. If this is the case, please place the cassette in the right orientation in the adaptor and perform a measurement in Direct Mode.
If the cassette was run for the full 15 minutes, but the control line remains weak and there is some general reddish staining remaining on the strip, the reason is most likely that the volume of the pre-mix entering the strip was not sufficient to keep the lateral flow in the cassette active for the full 15 minutes. In this case, the test must be discarded and repeated. Please take a picture of this cassette and the pouch with the LOT number and contact our support, describing the issue. You will receive a replacement for this cassette.
If the control line is weak or blurred, but the background of the strip is clean and almost white, there is most likely an issue with the test strip. The reason might be, that the cassette was exposed to temperatures of above 40 degrees Celsius during storage or transportation, leading to a heat degradation of the antibodies on the strip. As the chemicals and antibodies are sensitive to moisture, this might also happen, if the pouch of the cassette was accidentally damaged during production, transport, or storage, or the cassette was taken out of the pouch for several hours before performing the test. In any case, the test must be discarded and repeated. Please take a picture of this cassette and the pouch with the LOT number and contact our support, describing the issue. You will receive a replacement for this cassette.

Does the VHC Vitamin-D test need to be performed immediately after blood sampling?

The capillary of the UniSampler is not treated with any substance that would prevent coagulation of the blood sample. Thus it is important to deplete the blood sample from the capillary immediately after the sample was taken into the SampleBuffer. Once the blood sample is mixed with the buffer, the Vitamin D is immediately released and keeps stable for an extended period. You may thus collect several blood samples and prepare the pre-mix in the UniSampler, but you can delay running the tests and perform them at a later stage during the day,, if this is more convenient for your setup.

What is the VHC-Reader?

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