Inconsistent results on DCA Vantage

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One of our sites reached out stating that they are having some inconsistent results on their DCA Vantage. They are seeing anywhere between 1-1.5 mg/dL difference in what is expected to what the device reports. Upon repeat, the result is where they are expecting it to fall. Has anyone experienced similar issues? They have checked the temperature box, QC is passing.

14 Replies

Amy Berry

Tue Jul 14, 2026 at 5:45PM

Hello, yes I have the same issue. Lots 0555 and 0558 and several others and multiple analyzers. However they are running the same patient on multiple analyzers (several collections) and results have been 1.3-1.6 percentage off from comparison to the lab where it is not comparing with lab draws accurately. Several repeat QCs are working great so I am having them try one more new lot straight from Siemens 295. So far it is just my one high volume site. So yours are repeating the same patient on the same analyzer and getting 1.3 higher or lower on the repeat?

Kellie Graham

Tue Jul 14, 2026 at 6:23PM

I have had the same issue for 3 cases on multiple devices in a high volume clinic. The repeat test for each case measured at a higher value that fit the expected patient result. These were not due to collection technique. All were run using the cartridge 0536. Siemens is investigating now.

Amy Berry

Tue Jul 14, 2026 at 6:43PM

That is strange that the repeat test on the same machine tested correctly. Maybe I will have my site test that out. Please keep me posted and I will do the same as we investigate. I will let you know if this new lot helps the issue too.

Dena Heckel

Wed Jul 15, 2026 at 8:06AM

We had something similar happen in 2024 with the DCA. It took them quite a while to admit there was an issue and issue a recall on the cartridges. Our Endocrinology teams got so frustrated that they stopped using point of care all together until we moved to the Abbott Afinion. Honestly, I would keep putting pressure on them as to the root cause of the issue.

Robert Maynard

Wed Jul 15, 2026 at 9:28AM

Similar to previous lot-related issues from Siemens, we've also had clinical teams reach out with HbA1c concerns. We've observed discrepancies with lot 0549036 (Exp. 3/31/2028). In several cases, same-day testing showed markedly different HbA1c results between the DCA Vantage and our main clinical laboratory analyzer. We have recommended repeat testing using a different lot, and if the result may impact patient treatment/management, to confirm by sending a specimen to the main clinical laboratory for analysis.

Ashley Albers

Wed Jul 15, 2026 at 10:12AM

I am glad to hear it isn't just us. I know the manager over that site did reach out to tech support. I will have her continue to push the issue. The provider was the one who noticed the discrepancies and when re-run, I am assuming on the same analyzer, they were able to get results closer to what was expected. The initial values were lower than expected. Lot number currently in use is 0560046. We have an analyzer at another site that manager is over and she said they have not been experiencing any issues that she is aware of with that device and it is running the same lot but if it isn't brought up to the lab team until the provider starts noticing, it is hard to say whether or not they are experiencing similar issues.

Amy Berry

Wed Jul 15, 2026 at 11:23AM

Dena have you seen better correlations with the lab and the Affinions and more consistency? We are waiting for contracts and are moving to those soon so just curious if the Affinions are giving you more consistent results.

Kathleen David

Wed Jul 15, 2026 at 11:26AM

This is concerning, since the 2024 issue with DCA led to a lot of issues. I am contacting my Siemens rep to get some answers, and having our teams keep a closer eye on the results.

Dena Heckel

Wed Jul 15, 2026 at 11:29AM

Amy - yes! The Afinion does correlate a lot better and we have not had any result issues. I will say we have had to replace quite a few instruments as there is not a lot of troubleshooting that can be done on the Afinions. There is a software update coming soon that they say should help with that, though. I much prefer it over the DCA Vantage - no maintenance, very simple to run, and faster results.

Lauren Chartier

Thu Jul 23, 2026 at 6:20AM

We have a pediatric endocrine clinic that uses a DCA and in the past monthly they had questionable results started with 1 patient and then in one day it went to almost every patient and when retested there was a 2 pt difference in results. They only have 1 DCA that repeat testing was occurring on. Lots 0569 and 0927. When sent for a draw and confirmation to lab the results were also all reading higher than what the DCA was resulting on first test. We pulled the QC and noticed with a switch the lot 201 in QC that they were trending on the lower limits as well. When called tech support on Tuesday they expressed there was no known issues at that time but they would look into it. I have not heard anything back yet.

Amy Berry

Mon Aug 31, 2026 at 11:41AM

Has anyone heard back from Siemens on the DCA cartridge issues?

Kellie Graham

Mon Aug 31, 2026 at 12:40PM

Siemens said it would take a month to investigate. I have two more lots involved: 562 and 577. We did a study with both devices and the main lab and they correlated. One thing we did notice is that it seems the cartridge or capillary material has changed slightly. We do not hear a snap or click anymore when placing the capillary in the cartridge. Seimens said there has not been any changes to the plastic or molds, but they seem different.

Amy Berry

Mon Aug 31, 2026 at 1:56PM

Ok thank you for your response, I sent them 10 cartridges and different people keep asking me to send cartridges and I keep giving them the tracking number of the ones we sent alas I will look at the capillary material too thank you!

Amy Berry

Tue Sep 29, 2026 at 11:22AM

Has anyone heard from Siemens and are you still having issues?
I am still having issues and I did find a recall outside the US but it says there was some delamination that occurs when bonded material layers within the pull tab separate that causes falsely low results.

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Inconsistent results on DCA Vantage