The cellular metabolism and the possible activation of reactive or detoxification  processes (e.g. inflammation) make possible to blood circulation to give the ability to oxidize, that is to tear electrons or hydrogen atoms of certain chemical species.

The d-ROMs Test measures the oxidant ability of a plasma sample towards a particular substance (modified aromatic amine) used as an indicator (chromogen).

The phenomenon is associated with the progressive and gradual color change to pink reaction mixture (plasma + chromogen), initially colorless. The color change as measured by a particular device (photometer), which ultimately translates into a "number" oxidizing capacity so determined. Especially alcoxyl e idroperoxyl radicals, derived from hydroperoxides (ROOH), help to determine the oxidizing capacity measured by d-ROMs Test. In fact, the term d-ROMs is for "derivatives of Reactive Oxygen Metabolites”, the class to which they belong, in fact, is the hydroperoxides *.

In healthy subjects the d-ROMs has a value between 250 and 300 UNIT CARR (U CARR), which also represents the normal range. Values above 300 U CARR are indicative of a condition of oxidative stress. In this case, will the physician should determine, through the inclusion of test results in the clinical picture of each specific patient, what strategy should be put in place in order to bring back to normal any outliers.

In general, high values of d-ROMs Test are observed in subjects exposed to risk factors for oxidative stress (e.g. cigarette smoking, alcohol abuse, inadequate exercise, diets unbalanced on a quality and quantity level, etc.) or diseases associated with changes in oxidative balance (e.g. cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, metabolic syndrome, cancer, etc.) or treatments that increase the level of oxidizing species (e.g. oral contraceptives, radio / chemotherapy, dialysis, interventions by-pass, etc.).