Patent ID: 8812249
Filing Date: 2014-08-19
Classification: G16H

Abstract:
1. An apparatus arranged to give an output indicative of the initiation of a chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD)-related disease response, the apparatus comprising: a patient information input unit arranged to receive patient information input thereto, the patient information comprising a plurality of scores relating to clinical indicators of lung disease state; a biomarker detection unit arranged to receive a sample from a patient, to detect a biomarker in the sample and to generate biomarker information in response to a detected biomarker, wherein the biomarker information comprises one or more scores determined with reference to a severity scale, wherein the biomarker detection unit comprises a lab on chip unit, and wherein biomarker detection unit is arranged to receive a sample comprising: sputum, breath, and saliva; a memory unit to store the biomarker information and the patient information; a processing unit arranged to operate on the biomarker information and the patient information in the memory unit to determine a lung disease state for the patient; and an output unit arranged to provide an output indicative of lung disease state according to the determination made by the processing unit; wherein the patient information includes a plurality of patient self-reported scores determined with reference to a severity scale, the scores relating to the patient's perceived own symptoms and/or lung function and comprising: an amount of coughing score; an amount of sputum produced score; a texture of sputum produced score; and a color of sputum produced score; and wherein the biomarker information comprises a plurality of scores determined from the sample with reference to a severity scale and relating to the presence of, or a change in the expression level of one or more of: C-reactive protein, neutrophil elastase, Il-8, myeloperoxidase, and procalcitonin; and wherein the severity scale of the patient self-reported scores and the severity scale of the biomarker scores each utilize a same set of discrete numbers.