Methods and Devices for Rapid Assessment of Severity of Injury

• US 20090197280A1
• Filed: 05/30/2007
• Published: 08/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: AntibodyShop A/S
• Original Assignee: AntibodyShop A/S
• Inventors: Uttenthal, Lars Otto, Bangert, Kristian
• Application Number:
  US12/302,931
• Publication Number:
  US 20090197280A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/7.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2333/475 Assays involving growth factors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2800/40 Disorders due to exposure to physical agents, e.g. heat disorders, motion sickness, radiation injuries, altitude sickness, decompression illness
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2800/42 Poisoning, e.g. from bites or stings
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2800/56 Staging of a disease; Further complications associated with the disease
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/6893 related to diseases not provided for elsewhere
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/74 involving hormones or other non-cytokine intercellular protein regulatory factors such as growth factors, including receptors to hormones and growth factors

Abstract

Methods and devices for rapid assessment of the severity of injury not due to a natural disease based upon measurement of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) are provided.

Claims

1. A method of assessing severity of an injury in a subject that is due to physical or chemical causes arising from accidents, natural disasters or aggressive acts and which is not due to natural disease, said method comprising measuring a level of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin in a sample of bodily fluid from the subject within 12 hours after the injury has occurred.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the bodily fluid is blood, plasma, serum or urine.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the bodily fluid is bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein a functional activity of NGAL is measured in the sample.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the measurement of NGAL or a functional activity thereof is performed by means of one or more antibodies or other binding molecules capable of binding to NGAL or a ligand or product of its functional activity.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the measurement of NGAL or its functional activity gives rise to a quantitative or qualitative signal that can be read by visual inspection or by means of a portable reading device that can be carried to wherever an injured subject may be encountered.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein NGAL or its functional activity is measured by an automated method.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the subject is a mammal.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the mammal is a human.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the injury is traumatic in origin.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the injury is due to exposure to a chemical agent.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the injury is due to exposure to radiation.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the level of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin in a sample of bodily fluid from the subject is measured within 2 hours after the injury has occurred.

17. The method of claim 1 for use in triage of victims of said accidents, disasters or acts.

13. A portable device for rapid assessment of a level of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) in a sample, said portable device comprising a test cassette comprising one or more antibodies or other binding molecules capable of binding to NGAL or a product of its functional activity.

14. The portable device of claim 13 further comprising a blood sampling means.

15. The portable device of claim 13 further comprising a portable reading device for the test cassette.