HOME PROTHROMBIN TIME TESTS

A NUMBER OF CLINICAL TRIALS HAVE RECENTLY DEMONSTRATED THAT ANTI-COAGULANT DRUGS SUCH AS WARFARIN, ARE HIGHLY EFFECTIVE AT PREVENTING STROKES AND HEART ATTACHED IN AT-RISK POPULATION GROUPS. HOWEVER, THESE DRUGS CAN CAUSE UNCONTROLLED BLEEDING AND OTHER UNDESIRABLE SIDE EFFECTS. THUS, FREQUENT MONITORING OF BLOOD COAGULATION RATES BY PROTHROMBIN TIME TESTS IS REQUIRED FOR SAFE TREATMENT. THIS REQUIRES THE PATIENT TO VISIT A CLINIC EVERY FEW WEEKS FOR TESTING, AT CONSIDERABLE EXPENSE AND INCONVENIENCE. THE AVAILABILITY OF SIMPLE, ACCURATE, LOW COST HOME TEST WOULD FACILITATE WIDER USE OF ANTI-COAGULANT TREATMENTS AND POTENTIALLY IMPROVE THE STANDARD OF CURE FOR ANTI-COAGULATED PATIENTS. THIS PROJECT WILL EXPLORE TECHNOLOGY THAT WOULD ENABLE SUCH HOME TESTS. IT IS BASED UPON COMBINING THE TECNOLOGY OF OPTICALLY ACTIVE THROMBIN SUBSTRATES WHICH ENABLE SIMPLE PROTHROMBIN TIME TESTS) WITH THE DRY REAGENT TECHNOLOGY COMMONLY USED TO MAKE LOW-COST STRIP/METER-BASED HOME BLOOD GLUCOSE TESTS FOR DIABETICS. THROMBIN SUBSTRATES WITH THE SPECIFICITY AND OPTICAL CHARACTERISTICS APPROPRIATE FOR THESE TESTS WILL BE SYNTHESIZED, AND INCORPORATED INTO PROTOTYPE REAGENTS. THE PROPERTIES OF THESE REAGENTS WILL BE EVALUATED WITH A PROTOTYPE METER. THE PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SYSTEM WILL BE ASSESSED IN COMPARISON STUDIES WITH CLINICAL MATERIALS FROM UCSF.