We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us
PURITAN MEDICAL

Download Mobile App




Simple Urine Test Helps Patients with COPD

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 31 May 2017
An innovative technology could hugely improve the quality of life for people who suffer from the serious lung condition called Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. More...
The urine test, alerts these people that they are about to suffer a life-limiting lung attack.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a condition that makes it hard to breathe because of narrowing airways and damage to the lungs. COPD sufferers are prone to lung attacks, which can mean their symptoms worsen and lead to hospitalization and even death. In the UK, three million people are living with COPD and each year the condition causes 115,000 emergency admissions to hospital and 24,000 deaths.

Scientists at the University of Leicester in partnership with Mologic (https://mologic.co.uk) have unveiled the simple in-home Headstart test has already passed the first stage of the development process. The Headstart test is based upon the basic science used in a standard pregnancy test. It works by measuring biomarkers in the urine and transforms the test data into straightforward actions and medications. This test enables chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients to monitor their disease status at home for early indications of exacerbation. It will test the levels of key biomarkers in the urine, interpret them and identify imminent acute exacerbation and cause in 10 minutes.

The most important cause of COPD is smoking, but past exposures to fumes, chemicals and dusts at work can also contribute to causes of the condition. COPD symptoms often do not appear until significant lung damage has occurred, and they usually worsen over time, particularly if smoking exposure continues. Other signs and symptoms of COPD may include shortness of breath, especially during physical activities, wheezing, chest tightness and a chronic cough that may produce mucus.

Professor Paul Davis, chief scientific officer and Mologic co-founder, said, “We accepted the challenge of coming up with a new way to help COPD patients understand, monitor and control what’s going on in their vulnerable lungs. Our response to the challenge was to develop a simple, low-cost test, which worked in a similar way to a pregnancy test, only this one can predict impending lung problems. The test is simple enough for patients to use themselves at home, so this puts them at the center of their own care, empowering them to take control. There’s a valuable, clear but encoded message written in the substances, which we call biomarkers, when they are excreted into the urine through the kidneys. You just need to know what to look for and how to interpret the message into plain language.”


New
Gold Member
Serological Pipets
INTEGRA Serological Pipets
Serological Pipet Controller
PIPETBOY GENIUS
New
Silver Member
Quality Control Material
Multichem ID-B
New
Silver Member
Fibrinolysis Assay
HemosIL Fibrinolysis Assay Panel
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








DIASOURCE (A Biovendor Company)

Channels

Hematology

view channel
Image: CitoCBC is the world first cartridge-based CBC to be granted CLIA Waived status by FDA (Photo courtesy of CytoChip)

Disposable Cartridge-Based Test Delivers Rapid and Accurate CBC Results

Complete Blood Count (CBC) is one of the most commonly ordered lab tests, crucial for diagnosing diseases, monitoring therapies, and conducting routine health screenings. However, more than 90% of physician... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: An “evolutionary” approach to treating metastatic breast cancer could allow therapy choices to be adapted as patients’ cancer changes (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

Evolutionary Clinical Trial to Identify Novel Biomarker-Driven Therapies for Metastatic Breast Cancer

Metastatic breast cancer, which occurs when cancer spreads from the breast to other parts of the body, is one of the most difficult cancers to treat. Nearly 90% of patients with metastatic cancer will... Read more

Pathology

view channel
Image: A real-time trial has shown that AI could speed cancer care (Photo courtesy of Campanella, et al., Nature Medicine)

AI Accurately Predicts Genetic Mutations from Routine Pathology Slides for Faster Cancer Care

Current cancer treatment decisions are often guided by genetic testing, which can be expensive, time-consuming, and not always available at leading hospitals. For patients with lung adenocarcinoma, a critical... Read more

Technology

view channel
Image: Researchers Dr. Lee Eun Sook and Dr. Lee Jinhyung examine the imprinting equipment used for nanodisk synthesis (Photo courtesy of KRISS)

Multifunctional Nanomaterial Simultaneously Performs Cancer Diagnosis, Treatment, and Immune Activation

Cancer treatments, including surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, have significant limitations. These treatments not only target cancerous areas but also damage healthy tissues, causing side effects... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.