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US 11,589,808 B2Granted
Detecting cyanide exposure based on thiocyanate measurement
AssigneeThe Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of Homeland Security
InventorsDavid A. Reed, George C. Emmett
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In an example, a method of detecting cyanide exposure of an individual comprises measuring a thiocyanate level of the individual, and comparing the measured thiocyanate level to a preset thiocyanate threshold to determine whether the measured thiocyanate level is above the preset thiocyanate threshold indicating a level of cyanide poisoning requiring immediate medical assessment.
Claims31
A method of detecting cyanide exposure of an individual, the method comprising measuring a thiocyanate level of the individual which includes measuring thiocyanate (SCN−) catalyzed by enzyme rhodanese of the individual;
- determining a preset thiocyanate threshold;
- and comparing the measured thiocyanate level to the preset thiocyanate threshold to determine whether the measured thiocyanate level is above the preset thiocyanate threshold indicating a level of cyanide poisoning for which medical treatment is recommended to treat health effects of the exposure, wherein determining the preset thiocyanate threshold includes:
- measuring thiocyanate levels of a plurality of test individuals after an exposure of the plurality of test individuals to cyanide;
- measuring thiocyanate levels of at least some of the plurality of test individuals before the exposure of the plurality of test individuals to cyanide;
- monitoring the plurality of test individuals after the exposure for health effects of the exposure;
- identifying, out of the plurality of test individuals being monitored, one or more harmed individuals for whom medical treatment is recommended to treat the health effects of the exposure;
- comparing the thiocyanate levels of the at least some of the plurality of test individuals before the exposure, the thiocyanate levels of the one or more harmed individuals, and the thiocyanate levels of the plurality of test individuals after the exposure who are not the one or more harmed individuals;
- determining, based on the comparing, a threshold thiocyanate level above which medical treatment is recommended to treat the health effects of the exposure;
- and
- setting the threshold thiocyanate level as the preset thiocyanate threshold.
7 more elements
A method of detecting cyanide exposure of an individual, the method comprising measuring a thiocyanate level of the individual;
- determining a preset thiocyanate threshold;
- and comparing the measured thiocyanate level to the preset thiocyanate threshold to determine whether the measured thiocyanate level is above the preset thiocyanate threshold indicating a level of cyanide poisoning requiring medical assessment, wherein determining the preset thiocyanate threshold includes:
- measuring thiocyanate levels of a plurality of test individuals after an exposure of the plurality of test individuals to cyanide;
- measuring thiocyanate levels of at least some of the plurality of test individuals before the exposure of the plurality of test individuals to cyanide;
- monitoring the plurality of test individuals after the exposure for health effects of the exposure;
- identifying, out of the plurality of test individuals being monitored, one or more harmed individuals for whom medical assessment is required;
- comparing the thiocyanate levels of the at least some of the plurality of test individuals before the exposure, the thiocyanate levels of the one or more harmed individuals, and the thiocyanate levels of the plurality of test individuals after the exposure who are not the one or more harmed individuals;
- determining, based on the comparing, a threshold thiocyanate level above which medical assessment is required;
- and
- setting the threshold thiocyanate level as the preset thiocyanate threshold.
7 more elements
A method of detecting cyanide exposure of an individual, the method comprising:
- measuring a thiocyanate level of the individual which comprises measuring rhodanide as a main metabolite of cyanide to be used as biomarker for exposure to cyanide or to cyanide releasing chemicals;
- comparing the measured thiocyanate level to a first preset thiocyanate threshold to determine whether the measured thiocyanate level is above the first preset thiocyanate threshold;
- if the measured thiocyanate level is above the first preset thiocyanate threshold, performing medical assessment of the individual;
- if the measured thiocyanate level is not above the first preset thiocyanate threshold, then performing at least one of
- (i) measuring a methemoglobin level of the individual, comparing the measured thiocyanate level to a second preset thiocyanate threshold, which is lower than the first preset thiocyanate threshold, to determine whether the measured thiocyanate level is above the second preset thiocyanate threshold, comparing the measured methemoglobin level to a preset methemoglobin threshold to determine whether the measured methemoglobin level is below the preset methemoglobin threshold, and if the measured thiocyanate level is above the second preset thiocyanate threshold and the measured methemoglobin level is below the preset methemoglobin threshold, performing medical assessment of the individual;
- or
- (ii) measuring a carboxyhemoglobin level of the individual, comparing the measured thiocyanate level to a third preset thiocyanate threshold, which is lower than the first preset thiocyanate threshold, to determine whether the measured thiocyanate level is above the third preset thiocyanate threshold, comparing the measured carboxyhemoglobin level with a preset carboxyhemoglobin threshold to determine whether the measured carboxyhemoglobin level is above the preset carboxyhemoglobin threshold, and if the measured thiocyanate level is above the third preset thiocyanate threshold and the measured carboxyhemoglobin level is above the preset carboxyhemoglobin threshold, performing medical assessment of the individual.
4 more elements
A method of detecting cyanide exposure of an individual, the method comprising:
- determining a preset thiocyanate threshold;
- measuring a thiocyanate level of the individual, which comprises measuring thiocyanate (SCN−) catalyzed by enzyme rhodanese of the individual as follows
- HCN
- /
- CN
- -
- +
- Sulfur
-
- Donor
- →
- Rhodanese
- SCN
- -
- ;
- and
- comparing the measured thiocyanate level to the preset thiocyanate threshold to determine whether the measured thiocyanate level is above the preset thiocyanate threshold indicating a level of cyanide poisoning requiring medical assessment;
- determining the preset thiocyanate threshold including:
- measuring thiocyanate levels of a plurality of unexposed individuals who have not been exposed to cyanide;
- measuring thiocyanate levels of a plurality of exposed individuals after an exposure of the plurality of exposed individuals to cyanide;
- monitoring the plurality of exposed individuals after the exposure for health effects of the exposure;
- identifying, out of the plurality of exposed individuals being monitored, one or more harmed individuals for whom medical assessment is required;
- comparing thiocyanate levels of the plurality of unexposed individuals, thiocyanate levels of the one or more harmed individuals, and thiocyanate levels of the plurality of exposed individuals after the exposure who are not the one or more harmed individuals;
- determining, based on the comparing, a threshold thiocyanate level above which medical assessment is required;
- and
- setting the threshold thiocyanate level as the preset thiocyanate threshold.
23 more elements
A method of detecting cyanide exposure of an individual, the method comprising:
- determining a preset thiocyanate threshold;
- measuring a thiocyanate level of the individual which includes measuring rhodanide as a main metabolite of cyanide to be used as biomarker for exposure to cyanide or to cyanide releasing chemicals;
- and
- comparing the measured thiocyanate level to a preset thiocyanate threshold to determine whether the measured thiocyanate level is above the preset thiocyanate threshold indicating a level of cyanide poisoning for which medical treatment is recommended to treat health effects of the exposure;
- and
- determining the preset thiocyanate threshold including:
- measuring thiocyanate levels of a plurality of unexposed individuals who have not been exposed to cyanide;
- measuring thiocyanate levels of a plurality of exposed individuals after an exposure of the plurality of exposed individuals to cyanide;
- monitoring the plurality of exposed individuals after the exposure for health effects of the exposure;
- identifying, out of the plurality of exposed individuals being monitored, one or more harmed individuals for whom medical treatment is recommended to treat the health effects of the exposure;
- comparing thiocyanate levels of the plurality of unexposed individuals, thiocyanate levels of the one or more harmed individuals, and thiocyanate levels of the plurality of exposed individuals after the exposure who are not the one or more harmed individuals;
- determining, based on the comparing, a threshold thiocyanate level above which medical treatment is recommended to treat the health effects of the exposure;
- and
- setting the threshold thiocyanate level as the preset thiocyanate threshold.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.