OWLiver - Frequently Asked Questions for Clinicians
What´s the difference between OWLliver and other hepatic disease diagnostic methods?
OWLiver is the first in vitro test for NAFLD ( Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease). Unlike other diagnostic and analytical tests that usually identify hepatic cirrhosis, OWLiver establishes the degree of Steatosis/ Steatohepatitis in a serum sample, allowing for an early diagnosis of a disease which potentially can develop into a critical state and can lead to the need for a liver transplantation.
Do you need other clinical or analytical tests? Which ones?
Your clinician would decide the sort of analytical or clinical test you need in other to obtain a better disease diagnosis.
Which are the guidelines for blood sampling collection?
The guidelines for blood sampling collection are exactly the same than for any other regular blood test. You can see these recommendations in the Application Form for owl liver test or in “How it works” section
Who takes care of the transport process of the samples?
The hospital contacts with OWL and we take care of the whole transport process.
How are the samples identified?
Samples come out of the hospital lab with a reference number. Samples should never arrive to OWL with patient name or any other personal reference.
How is preserved the patient´s identity?
Patient's identity should not be disclosed in the application form. The form comes with a reference number assigned by the hospital lab.
Are there any other relevant data that should be included in the application form?
There are some very basic analytical and clinical data from the patient that should be completed in the application form.
If there are no other clinical data from the patient, could this affect the diagnostic result?
Clinical diagnosis depends on clinicians criteria. owl liver is one of the tests the clinician can prescribe in order to diagnose the disease. So other clinical and analytical data are relevant for a better diagnostic outcome.
What could happen if the blood sampling extraction date is not included in the application form?
Blood sampling extraction date is important to know the traceability of the sample is in accordance with the limits for the transportation in dry ice. If you have forgotten to include this date and we think that there could be any problem with the sample, we will contact you.
What could happen if you forget to include the application form together with the blood sample? And if there are some data missing? Which data is compulsory to establish a correct diagnostic?
The form with the results shows not only the owl liver test results but also to be a summary with all the relevant data the clinician needs to issue the disease diagnosis. The importance of that data relies on the clinician´s judgment and how he/she values each data relevance.
How long would it take to know the results for OWLiver test?
The results are obtained in a short period of time. We ask you to refer to our experts for the exact date for the results issue.
How can the test results be delivered?
The results can be sent by e-mail, fax or postal mail, depending on your preference. If you are a registered user you can look for your patients results directly in our web page, in the restricted area with your username and password.
Is it possible to receive the results both by mail and in a written form (Postal mail/fax)?
Of course. Just request it in your application form.
Is there a standardized Results Form?
Yes there is a Result Form that is sent to the prescriptor with the analysis result.
What is Metabolomics?
Metabolomics is one of the “omics” sciences (Genomics, Proteomics, Transcriptomics..) and involves the rapid throughput characterization of the small molecule metabolites (lipids, fatty acids, steroids, sugars...) found in an organism.
Metabolomics is increasingly being used in a variety of health applications including pharmacology, pre-clinical drug trials, toxicology, transplant monitoring, newborn screening and clinical chemistry.
What is the application of Metalolomics in OWLiver NAFLD test?
Through metabolomics OWL has identified biomarkers for Fatty Liver disease that allow for illness degree identification from Steatosis to Steatohepatitis (Steatosis plus inflammation).
Which are the sorts of services OWL offer?
OWL has 2 main business lines. One is its OWLiver NAFLD test, for Fatty Liver disease and the other is the Metabolomics Services offered for other biotechnological and pharmaceutical companies or research centers.
What is Liquid Chromatography (LC)
Liquid chromatography (LC) is a separation technique in which the mobile phase is a liquid. Liquid chromatography can be carried out either in a column or a plane. Present day liquid chromatography that generally utilizes very small packing particles and a relatively high pressure is referred to as high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).
What is the use of Mass Spectrometry (MS)?
Mass spectrometry (MS) is an analytical technique for the determination of the elemental composition of a sample or molecule. It is also used for elucidating the chemical structures of molecules, such as peptides and other chemical compounds. The MS principle consists of ionizing chemical compounds to generate charged molecules or molecule fragments and measurement of their mass-to-charge ratios.
What is a biomarker? What is its function?
A biomarker, or biological marker, is in general a substance used as an indicator of a biological state. It is a characteristic that is objectively measured and evaluated as an indicator of normal biological processes, pathogenic processes, or pharmacologic responses to a therapeutic intervention. It is used in many scientific fields.