Urine PGE-MUM Reagent Kit for Ulcerative Colitis Staging

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for diagnosing ulcerative colitis, particularly distinguishing between the pre-remission and remission phases, are subjective and costly, involving endoscopic observations and histological sample analysis, which can lead to incorrect medication discontinuation and increased risk of disease recurrence or colon cancer.

Innovation Solution

A reagent kit using labeled prostaglandin E2 main urinary metabolites (PGE-MUM) and anti-PGE-MUM antibodies to measure urine concentrations, setting a base value for judging the stages of ulcerative colitis, with PGE-MUM concentrations between the base value and three times it indicating the pre-remission phase, and below the base value indicating the remission phase.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If endoscopy and histological analysis are used to diagnose ulcerative colitis stage, then diagnostic accuracy is improved, but patient burden and medical cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvediagnostic accuracyVSAvoidpatient burden
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the diagnostic function from invasive procedures (endoscopy and histological analysis) to a simple urine-based biochemical test. By measuring PGE-MUM concentrations in urine, the diagnostic information is obtained without requiring endoscopic examination or tissue biopsy, thereby eliminating patient burden while maintaining diagnostic capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention introduces PGE-MUM (prostaglandin E2 main urinary metabolite) as an intermediary biomarker that correlates with ulcerative colitis disease activity. This intermediary substance in urine serves as a proxy indicator for disease stage, allowing indirect but accurate assessment without direct observation of intestinal mucosa

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If endoscopy and histological analysis are used to diagnose ulcerative colitis stage, then diagnostic accuracy is improved, but medical cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvediagnostic accuracyVSAvoidmedical cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the essential diagnostic information from expensive procedures to a low-cost urine test. By measuring PGE-MUM levels in urine using simple biochemical methods, the diagnostic function is decoupled from costly endoscopic equipment and histological processing, dramatically reducing medical expenditure while preserving diagnostic accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention replaces expensive, resource-intensive diagnostic procedures with a simple, disposable urine sample analysis. The urine test uses conventional biochemical reagents and equipment that are far less costly than endoscopic systems and histological laboratories, making diagnosis economically sustainable

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Ease of operation

If clinical symptoms alone are used to judge remission phase, then simplicity is improved, but diagnostic reliability deteriorates due to pre-remission phase ambiguity

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesimplicityVSAvoiddiagnostic reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention introduces PGE-MUM as an objective intermediary biomarker that quantifies disease activity. This biochemical marker provides a numerical measure that distinguishes pre-remission from remission phases, eliminating the subjectivity and ambiguity inherent in clinical symptom assessment while maintaining procedural simplicity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention transforms the diagnostic approach from qualitative clinical assessment to quantitative biochemical measurement. By measuring PGE-MUM concentrations and comparing them against established thresholds, the diagnosis transitions from subjective judgment to objective parameter-based classification, improving reliability without sacrificing simplicity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This method allows for objective and simple discrimination between pre-remission and remission phases of ulcerative colitis, reducing the need for invasive examinations and improving patient quality of life and medical cost efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

A reagent kit using labeled prostaglandin E2 main urinary metabolites (PGE-MUM) and anti-PGE-MUM antibodies to measure urine concentrations

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectImmune complex formation: Absorption (physical)

Data Source

PatentEP1870708B1Method for determining the stage of ulcerative colitis by determining PGE-MUM levels and reagent kit therefore
Publication Date: 2014.05.07 HAYASHI
  • EP1870708B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP1870708B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention provides a method capable of readily discriminating pathologic conditions and judging selection of a therapeutic drug, the degree of the therapeutic effect, discontinuation of medication, etc., wherein stages quantitatively judged by digitizing substances contained in urine, which is different from conventional methods for judging stages of an ulcerative colitis and an interstitial pneumonitis which are performed by observation of mucous lesions with endoscopy requiring the skill or by analysis of histological samples collected from the living body. The method measures the value of main metabolites of prostaglandin E (PGE-MUM) concentration in urine and judges stages between the pre-remission phase of and the remission phase of ulcerative colitis. The method also measures the value of the PGE-MUM concentration in urine and judges stages between the active phase and the non-active phase of interstitial pneumonitis.