Biomarker Panel for Fatigue Syndrome Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for detecting fatigue syndromes such as burn-out, overtraining syndrome, and chronic fatigue are inadequate, as they rely on subjective monitoring of performance deterioration, which only allows for detection after the athlete has peaked, and there is a lack of objective tools for early detection and monitoring in both humans and animals.
Innovation Solution
A multidimensional approach that combines the detection of three or more biomarkers from well-defined groups, including immune function, iron metabolism, metabolism, steroid hormone, and sympathetic adrenal medullary axis biomarkers, to predict, diagnose, and monitor chronic mental stress and other fatigue syndromes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If performance monitoring is used to detect fatigue syndromes, then detection is possible, but only after the athlete has passed peak condition
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by measuring multiple biomarkers (cortisol, testosterone, DHEA-S, IGF-1, growth hormone) before the athlete reaches peak condition or fatigue state. This allows detection of early physiological changes that precede performance deterioration, enabling intervention at the onset stage of overtraining syndrome rather than after peak performance has been lost.
2Ease of operation
If subjective questionnaire methods are used, then compliance is easier to implement, but accuracy and objectivity are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/questionnaire-based subjective assessment system with a biochemical analysis system that measures actual hormone and metabolite levels in biological samples. This substitution provides objective, quantifiable data about the athlete's physiological state, eliminating the subjectivity and inaccuracy of self-reported questionnaire data while maintaining ease of administration through simple blood or saliva sampling.
3Measurement precision
If multiple biomarkers are measured, then diagnostic accuracy improves, but test complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the measurement of multiple distinct biomarkers (cortisol, testosterone, DHEA-S, IGF-1, growth hormone) into a single integrated diagnostic approach. By combining these measurements and evaluating them together as a panel, the patent achieves high diagnostic accuracy for detecting overtraining syndrome and predicting injury risk while presenting a unified, manageable test protocol rather than separate individual tests.
Data Source
AI summary
The current invention concerns an in vitro method for (i) measuring, predicting, diagnosing, prognosing and/or monitoring chronic mental stress or for (ii) determining whether a subject is in need of therapeutic or prophylactic treatment of a chronic mental stress in a subject, comprising detecting at least three biomarkers independently selected at least three, different groups of biomarkers selected from a group of immune function biomarkers, a group of iron metabolism biomarkers, a group of metabolism biomarkers, a group of steroid hormone biomarkers, a group of sympathetic adrenal medullary axis biomarkers, and optionally a group of neurotransmitter biomarkers, in a sample obtained from said subject, and kits and computer programs for use in such methods.