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
ZeptoMetrix an Antylia scientific company

Download Mobile App




Rapid Saliva Test for Diagnosing Stroke to Revolutionize Emergency Treatment

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 21 Jul 2023
Print article
Image: Researchers are aiming for a rapid biomarker diagnostic test for stroke using saliva (Photo courtesy of Freepik)
Image: Researchers are aiming for a rapid biomarker diagnostic test for stroke using saliva (Photo courtesy of Freepik)

Prompt hospital transfer and diagnosis are vital when a stroke is suspected. The phrase "time lost is brain lost" underlines the importance of quick diagnosis and treatment in lowering death risk and mitigating disability severity. Certain treatments, like thrombolysis (clot-dissolving drugs) or mechanical thrombectomy (manual clot extraction), are most effective if given within hours after the first signs of a stroke. At present, ambulance staff utilize symptom checklists to identify potential stroke cases. Comprehensive assessments are typically performed at a Hyperacute Stroke Unit before patients are transferred to a specialized neuroscience unit for treatment, which extends the treatment pathway by at least an hour.

Now, researchers at the University of Birmingham (Birmingham, UK) are set to collaborate on a study that could lead to the development of a rapid, non-invasive diagnostic test to quickly and accurately identify stroke patients who require time-sensitive treatment before permanent brain damage sets in. This success could also transform the way stroke emergencies are handled. The Golden Hour for STroke (GHoST) study seeks to identify biomarkers (small molecules) in blood, urine, or saliva for quick diagnosis, enabling patients to be immediately routed to the most appropriate treatment facility. In earlier research, the team had identified rapid changes in the concentration of specific saliva molecules following a traumatic brain injury. A three-year investigation in elite rugby players demonstrated that these biomarkers could be employed in advanced diagnostic tests for quick and reliable concussion detection.

The GHoST study will adopt the same methodology as these previous successful trials. Trained paramedics will collect saliva, blood, and urine samples from suspected stroke patients within the first hour of symptom onset. Further sampling of blood, saliva, and urine will continue in hospitals while patients receive standard clinical care. The researchers will focus on small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) in saliva. These abundant small molecules found in saliva were an exciting discovery in previous studies as they could be used in tests to distinguish between patients with and without concussions. While the GHoST study will be the first to investigate if there are stroke-specific sncRNAs, past studies have identified stroke-specific RNA biomarkers in the blood.

The researchers aim to identify sncRNAs that will accurately diagnose a stroke and differentiate it from stroke-like conditions such as seizures or migraines, which account for 30-40% of suspected stroke cases in emergency ambulance admissions. They will also explore whether biomarkers can distinguish between the two primary types of stroke (ischemic and hemorrhagic) requiring very different treatments. Ischemic stroke, caused by a blood clot, makes up over 80% of strokes and requires either clot-busting drugs or surgical clot removal through an artery (thrombectomy). In contrast, hemorrhagic strokes, caused by a brain bleed, may necessitate brain surgery.

“Having a saliva test would be a massive step forward in pre-hospital diagnosis for stroke and really help people to get the right diagnosis, to get to the right hospital for the right treatment and in the quickest time,” said Dr. Richard Francis, Head of Research at the Stroke Association. “The potential success of this trial may also massively benefit countries without ready access to brain scanning equipment.”

Related Links:
University of Birmingham 

Gold Member
Serological Pipet Controller
PIPETBOY GENIUS
Verification Panels for Assay Development & QC
Seroconversion Panels
New
Ultrasonic Cleaner
UC 300 Series
New
Total Thyroxine Assay
Total Thyroxine CLIA Kit

Print article

Channels

Clinical Chemistry

view channel
Image: QIP-MS could predict and detect myeloma relapse earlier compared to currently used techniques (Photo courtesy of Adobe Stock)

Mass Spectrometry-Based Monitoring Technique to Predict and Identify Early Myeloma Relapse

Myeloma, a type of cancer that affects the bone marrow, is currently incurable, though many patients can live for over 10 years after diagnosis. However, around 1 in 5 individuals with myeloma have a high-risk... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: The cancer stem cell test can accurately choose more effective treatments (Photo courtesy of University of Cincinnati)

Stem Cell Test Predicts Treatment Outcome for Patients with Platinum-Resistant Ovarian Cancer

Epithelial ovarian cancer frequently responds to chemotherapy initially, but eventually, the tumor develops resistance to the therapy, leading to regrowth. This resistance is partially due to the activation... Read more

Technology

view channel
Image: Ziyang Wang and Shengxi Huang have developed a tool that enables precise insights into viral proteins and brain disease markers (Photo courtesy of Jeff Fitlow/Rice University)

Light Signature Algorithm to Enable Faster and More Precise Medical Diagnoses

Every material or molecule interacts with light in a unique way, creating a distinct pattern, much like a fingerprint. Optical spectroscopy, which involves shining a laser on a material and observing how... Read more

Industry

view channel
Image: The collaboration aims to leverage Oxford Nanopore\'s sequencing platform and Cepheid\'s GeneXpert system to advance the field of sequencing for infectious diseases (Photo courtesy of Cepheid)

Cepheid and Oxford Nanopore Technologies Partner on Advancing Automated Sequencing-Based Solutions

Cepheid (Sunnyvale, CA, USA), a leading molecular diagnostics company, and Oxford Nanopore Technologies (Oxford, UK), the company behind a new generation of sequencing-based molecular analysis technologies,... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.