A Drop of Blood and 10 Minutes: Scientists Develop Rapid Test for Stroke Medications

Scientists at Aarhus University in Denmark have developed a compact system that can determine the concentration of a drug directly in a blood sample in less than 10 minutes. The technology could be particularly useful in stroke treatment, when doctors need to quickly determine whether a patient is taking anticoagulants — blood-thinning medications.

The study results were published in the journal ACS Sensors. The technology has already been tested on blood samples from 52 patients.

For some types of stroke, doctors need to restore blood flow as quickly as possible, including with clot-dissolving drugs. However, such treatment can be dangerous for patients whose blood contains high concentrations of certain anticoagulants, increasing the risk of severe bleeding in the brain.

Today, a blood sample is usually sent to a laboratory to accurately determine the concentration of a drug. Even with urgent testing, it can take up to an hour to obtain a result. The new system makes it possible to perform the analysis directly inside a small device.

For the test, untreated blood is simply applied to a special chip inside a disposable cartridge. A built-in filter separates blood cells from plasma, after which reagents inside the cartridge react with the specific drug. An optical system detects the resulting signal and automatically calculates the drug concentration.

Centrifugation and other manual laboratory preparation steps are not required.

The technology is based on a biochemical analysis method developed by a team led by chemist Kurt Westergaard Gothelf. The researchers used specific antibodies capable of recognizing particular drug molecules, along with an optical signal generated when those molecules are detected.

So far, the technology has been tested on three anticoagulants — dabigatran, rivaroxaban, and apixaban. It was also used to measure concentrations of methotrexate, which is used to treat certain types of cancer, and the antibiotic linezolid. The results matched those obtained with conventional laboratory instruments.

The authors note that such a system could be useful not only in emergency medicine. The concentration of the same medication in the blood can vary significantly between individuals due to differences in absorption and metabolism. Therefore, in the future, similar devices could be used to personalize drug dosages.

The researchers are also considering applications outside major hospitals. The analyzer itself could cost around 30,000–50,000 Danish kroner, significantly less than large laboratory systems. This could potentially allow such devices to be installed in smaller medical facilities where a full laboratory is not available.

The technology is being developed by MedicQuant, a company founded by the researchers in 2019. The technology is currently undergoing further development and preparation for practical use. According to its creators, it may take another three years before it reaches the market.

Follow NEWS.am Medicine on Facebook and Twitter