The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports 47% of adults in the United States have hypertension [1]. Dietary risks constitute the largest disease risk factor in the US [2], whereby the largest single contributor to that risk is high dietary sodium intake [3].The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that individuals reduce sodium (Na) and increase potassium (K) intake to lower blood pressure and improve cardiovascular health [4,5]. Emerging research has shown that urinary Na/K ratio is more strongly related to blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and stroke than Na and K considered separately [6]. Urine Na guided dietary guidance enhances the ability to monitor sodium reduction and blood pressure [7]. Manual collection for chronic urine testing is too burdensome a process for practical everyday use. We have developed an accurate biosensor capable of being easily integrated into users’ daily routine for real-time and fully automated longitudinal Na/K analysis.

Reference

[1] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (2021),https://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/facts.htm#:~

:text=Nearly%20half%20of%20adults%20in,are%20taking%20medication%20for%20hypertension.

[2] The US Burden of Disease Collaborators; A.H., Mokdad, JAMA, 319(14),1444-1472 (2018).

[3] GBD 2017 Diet Collaborators, The Lancet, 393(10184), 1958-1972 (2019).

[4] WHO Guideline Sodium intake for adults and children. Geneva: World Health Organization (WHO); 2012.

[5] WHO Guideline Potassium intake for adults and children. Geneva: World Health Organization (WHO); 2012.

[6] T. Iwahori; K. Miura; H. Ueshima; S. Tanaka-Mizuno; Q. Chan; H. Arima; A. R. Dyer; P. Elliott; J. Stamler, Hypertens Res, 42(10), 1590-1598 (2019).

[7] T. Takada; M. Imamoto; S. Sasaki; T. Azuma; J. Miyashita; M. Hayashi; S. Fukuma; S. Fukuhara, Hypertens Res, 41(7), 524-530 (2018).

Figure 1 (A) Urinalysis system installed in a urinal that can catch a stream of urine in real-time. (B) Biosensor cyclic voltammetry curve of human urine.