Dive Brief:
- A team of researchers at the Cornell Baker Institute for Animal Health have announced a new tool to help diagnose a stroke in less than 10 minutes using a drop of blood. Current diagnostics can take up to three hours to determine a stroke diagnosis.
- The test could be expanded to diagnose other conditions such as traumatic brain injury (concussion), some forms of dementia, and even certain cancers and heart disease.
- Dr. Roy Cohen, the lead researcher of the project, says the small size and simplicity of the technology makes it available for point-of-care testing.
Dive Insight:
With almost 75% of strokes being ischemic strokes, time is crucial because the drug available to treat it must be given three to four hours after the onset of symptoms. Dr. Cohen explained, "By the time someone identifies the symptoms, gets to the hospital and sits in the emergency room, you don't have much time to obtain the full benefits of this drug."
The technology detects a blood biomarker, neuron-specific enolase (NSE), found in high concentrations in the blood of stroke victims. The researchers plan to collaborate with a private company to develop the technology for clinical testing with the goal to initially make it available for hospitals.
The American Heart Association says stroke ranks as the fifth leading cause of death in the U.S., causing 129,000 deaths every year and is a leading cause of disability.