Methods and devices for quantitatively estimating syndecan-1

A method of treating a mammalian subject suspected of internal hemorrhaging comprising:

• a) applying a blood sample from the subject to a hand-held assay device capable of providing optical quantitation of the amount of syndecan-1 in the sample;
• b) measuring, by means of said assay or assay device, an analyte signal value correlated to a concentration of the syndecan-1 in the blood sample;
• c) determining that the analyte signal value exceeds a minimum threshold correlated to a concentration of the syndecan-1 in the blood sample, wherein an analyte signal value less than the minimum threshold indicates that the subject is not internally hemorrhaging, and an analyte signal value above the minimum threshold indicates the subject is internally hemorrhaging;
• and
• d) administering a blood product transfusion to the subject,
• wherein the assay device comprises:
• a sample pad for receiving the blood sample,
• a signal release pad fluidly connected to the sample pad and containing a signal member with binding specificity for syndecan-1 and configured to produce an optically detectable analyte signal when an amount of the signal member captured by the capture region correlates to a concentration of the syndecan-1 in the blood sample exceeding the minimum threshold, and
• a capture region that is fluidly connected to the signal release pad and in which a capture reagent having binding specificity for syndecan-1 is immobilized.