Point-of-care immunoassay panel for cardiotonic steroids

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Preeclampsia (PE) is a serious complication of pregnancy manifested by high blood pressure, proteinuria, and edema, sometimes with encephalopathy, seizures, and hepatic failure. PE complicates from 5 to 10% of pregnancies, and is a major cause of maternal a fetal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Elevation in the circulating level of an endogenous digoxin-like factor (EDLF), an unknown substance that cross reacts with anti-digoxin antibodies and inhibits the NA+/K+ ATPase (NKA) was first noted in the 1980s. An extensive literature supports the hypothesis that increased levels of EDLF may be causative factor in the pathogenesis of hypertension. Recently, marinobufagenin (MBG), an endogenous cardiotonic steroid (CTS), has been identified as the EDLF. Plasma MBG is elevated over five-fold in pregnancies complicated by PE, suggesting a role pathophysiological role. Digibind, an anti-digoxin antiserum that cross-reacts MBG, provided significant in improvement in renal functi