Multifunctional self-driven origami paper-based integrated microfluidic chip to detect CRP and PAB in whole blood

Gastrointestinal fistula, a complication of gastrointestinal cancer surgery, has a high mortality rate. Detection of both C-reactive protein (CRP) and prealbumin (PAB) is advantageous in the auxiliary diagnosis of postoperative complications. However, traditional detection methods are not capable of on-site rapid detection. In an attempt to overcome these challenges, a multifunctional origami-paper-based device (ePADs) was developed to simultaneously detect CRP and PAB in whole blood. After integration, functionalization, and modification, the electrochemical dual-parameter device was capable of separating blood cells and detecting target analytes. The plasma separation performance revealed a sample diffusion time of 75 s for a whole blood sample volume of 73.3 μL. The efficiency of the device in separating blood cells was 99.91%. Electrochemical results showed that the multifunctional device exhibited linearity between 5 pg mL-1 and 1 μg mL-1 for CRP (R2 = 0.990), and between 10 pg mL-1 and 1 μg mL-1 for PAB (R2 = 0.998). The limits of detection for CRP and PAB were 5 and 10 pg mL-1, respectively (S/N = 3). We also successfully evaluated the accuracy of the dual-parameter device with clinical whole blood samples. Based on these results, the multifunctional device can facilitate clinical detection and provide a new platform for domestic point-of-care testing.