Low levels of healthy red blood cells can cause anemia, an illness that has the kind of symptoms you might brush off: dizziness, weakness, headaches, or feeling tired. A new mobile app called AnemoCheck can tell you if you might have anemia just by looking at your fingernail.
The technology looks at the nail bed pinkness as a barometer for hemoglobin levels. A study in published in Nature concluded the test was sufficiently accurate and sensitive to work as a screening method. Erika Tyburski, the founder of Sanguina, the company behind the app, says that it’s about 10% less effective than a blood test. However, the company is not seeking federal approval for its app. Instead, it sees AnemoCheck as a lifestyle tool, particularly for those who suffer from chronic anemia.
In particular, anemia can be an issue for women of childbearing age: The World Health Organization estimates that 6.9% of such women in the U.S. have the low hemoglobin levels associated…
Read More…
Source : fastcompany.com
Source link
