Method and apparatus for diagnosing capillary leak

Abstract

This invention provides a method for determining the presence of capillary leak in a subject which comprises (a) introducing into the subject's circulation a pharmaceutically-acceptable solution comprising biodegradable, nontoxic, macromolecules, which macromolecules are smaller than endothelial gaps in capillaries of a subject having capillary leak, and each of which macromolecules is labeled with a detectable marker; (b) obtaining a sample of blood from the subject; (c) quantitatively measuring the detectable marker in the sample; (d) repeating steps (b) and (c) at a plurality of suitably spaced points in time; and (e) comparing the quantities of detectable marker so measured so as to ascertain a change in the quantity of detectable marker in the subject's circulation over time, the change being indicative of the presence of capillary leak, thereby determining the presence of capillary leak in the subject. The subject invention also provides an apparatus for displaying the quantity of detectable marker in a subject's circulation over time after introducing into the subject's circulation a pharmaceutically-acceptable solution comprising biodegradable, nontoxic macromolecules, which macromolecules are smaller than endothelial gaps of capillaries in a subject having capillary leak, and each of which macromolecules is labeled with a detectable marker, which apparatus comprises (a) means for obtaining samples of blood from the subject at a plurality of points in time; (b) means for quantitatively measuring the detectable marker in the sample obtained at each time point; and (c) means for displaying the quantities so measured. The aforementioned apparatus of the subject invention is useful for diagnosing capillary leak.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.