Rapid paper diagnostic for plasma fibrinogen concentration

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Hematology
• Medical Diagnostics

Background:

• Fibrinogen is a critical blood protein for clot formation, essential for hemostasis.
• Early depletion of fibrinogen (hypofibrinogenemia) in bleeding patients necessitates urgent replenishment to prevent fatal hemorrhage.
• Current methods for measuring fibrinogen levels lack the speed, sensitivity, cost-effectiveness, and ease of use required for rapid clinical assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel, rapid, sensitive, and cost-effective paper-based diagnostic assay for quantifying fibrinogen concentration.
• To enable timely diagnosis of hypofibrinogenemia at the point of care.

Main Methods:

• A two-step paper-based diagnostic process was developed.
• Plasma is applied to thrombin-treated paper strips, converting fibrinogen to fibrin.
• Strips are subsequently immersed in a dye bath, with elution measured to correlate with fibrinogen concentration via hydrophobicity changes.

Main Results:

• The diagnostic accurately quantifies fibrinogen concentrations within the clinically relevant range of 0-2 g L-1.
• The assay requires minimal sample volume (12 μL plasma) and reagents (60 mU thrombin).
• The entire testing procedure is completed rapidly, within 7.5 minutes.

Conclusions:

• The developed paper-based diagnostic offers a precise and efficient method for measuring fibrinogen levels.
• This assay has the potential to significantly improve point-of-care testing for hypofibrinogenemia.
• The technology could revolutionize patient care in emergency settings, potentially saving lives by enabling faster treatment decisions.