The use of an optical or other measurement in a blood access
system enables the determination of a fluid sample appropriate for measurement on a real time basis. This information can be used to control the blood access
system and related measurement processes. The determination can be based on, for example, at least one of:
optical density, optical scatter,
analyte level, temperature, the
absolute level of any of the preceding, the stability of any of the preceding, the rate of change of any of the preceding, or the value of any of the preceding relative to another determination. The determination can be made using, for example, at least one of: electrochemical sensor,
ion specific
electrode,
capacitance measurement, impedance measurement,
inductance measurement,
conductivity measurement, optical measurement, and
ultrasound measurement. The present invention relates to determination of the quality of a biological sample in which determination of an
analyte concentration is to be made, and various methods and apparatuses related thereto. An evaluation of
sample quality can be made by monitoring the temporal changes in the sample properties or characteristics as the biological sample is procured or measured. The methods and apparatuses described herein can be used to evaluate the temporal characteristics of a sample during sample acquisition and / or during determination of the sample
analyte or parameter of interest. The
sample quality assurance methods and apparatuses described herein can thus be used to ensure that a valid sample has been procured by or presented to an instrument or measurement
system for analyte determination, thereby preventing the measurement and reporting of analyte values for a sample that is unstable or otherwise non-representative of the
biological system from which the sample was obtained.