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 Organizationestimatesthat 6.9% of such women in the U.S. have the low hemoglobin levels associated with the condition. Outside of the U.S., it’s much more prevalent. Around the world, 1.6 billion people suffer from anemia. In some countries it affects roughly half of all women of childbearing age.Tyburski says that her goal is to make anemia screening accessible. Typically anemia is only diagnosable with a blood draw. While the app cannot definitely detect whether or not someone has anemia, it can help patients and doctors know whether to run a test for anemia. “The core of our company is education and engagement,” she says.
AnemoCheck is now available in the Google Play store; Sanguina says it’s coming soon to Apple’s App Store. The app is free to download, with tests available individually or in packs as in-app purchases. A pack of 12 tests is $10.
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