Renal Dysfunction Prediction via Anti-inflammatory Cytokine Analysis

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for diagnosing renal dysfunction following physical trauma, hypotension, sepsis, or septic shock are delayed, as they rely on changes in Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) measurements that take several days to detect, allowing for late intervention.

Innovation Solution

A method predicting renal dysfunction by determining the level of anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-1ra and TNFsr2 in a sample taken after the event, allowing for early identification of at-risk patients through a single post-trauma analysis.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If GFR measurements are used to diagnose renal dysfunction, then diagnosis accuracy is improved, but detection time is delayed by several days

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvediagnosis accuracyVSAvoiddetection time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent measures anti-inflammatory cytokine levels (IL-1ra and TNFsr2) in the immediate post-trauma period (within 24 hours) to predict future renal dysfunction. This preliminary measurement allows early identification of at-risk patients before actual renal dysfunction develops, enabling preventive interventions to be initiated 48-72 hours before GFR-based diagnosis would detect the problem.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If pre-trauma sampling is performed, then prediction accuracy is improved, but applicability to unexpected events is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprediction accuracyVSAvoidapplicability to unexpected events
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of measuring cytokine levels before trauma as previously done, the patent inverts the approach by measuring anti-inflammatory cytokine levels after trauma. This reversal allows the method to be applied to unexpected events like car crashes where pre-trauma sampling is impossible, while still achieving early prediction of renal dysfunction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Reliability

If multiple cytokine measurements are taken, then prediction reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprediction reliabilityVSAvoidtesting complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and measures only two specific anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1ra and TNFsr2) that are most predictive of renal dysfunction, rather than measuring all cytokines or requiring multiple repeated measurements. This selective extraction simplifies the testing protocol while maintaining high prediction reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP2861994B1Biomarker of renal dysfunction
Publication Date: 2021.02.24 BELFAST HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE TRUST
  • EP2861994B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2861994B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2861994B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to a method for a method for predicting the development of renal dysfunction in a subject following physical trauma, hypotension, sepsis and/or septic shock syndrome, wherein the method comprises the steps of:- a. determining the level of an anti-inflammatory cytokine present in a sample taken from the subject after physical trauma, after a hypotensive event, after sepsis, and/or after septic shock syndrome; b. predicting the development in the subject of renal dysfunction on the basis of the level of an anti-inflammatory cytokine determined in step a).