by University of Liverpool

Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

A research team led by the University of Liverpool has developed an innovative new technique that can rapidly assess paracetamol levels from saliva.

In a paper published in the journal BMC Medicine, the team demonstrate the clinical validity of a new mass spectrometry technology-based technique that can test a tiny drop of saliva on a piece of paper for levels of paracetamol.

Called Paper Arrow–Mass Spectrometry (PA-MS), the patent-pending technique was found to offer enhanced analytical performance while requiring less time, resources, and clinical involvement than current clinical tests.

Paracetamol is the most consumed medicine globally and its accessibility contributes to frequent misuse and overdose. Approximately 100,000 cases of paracetamol overdose are reported in the U.K. each year, leading to 50,000 hospital admissions due to liver toxicity. If not treated quickly, paracetamol overdoses can lead to severe outcomes, including liver failure, transplantation, or even death.

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is a medication that is used to treat paracetamol overdose and is effective in preventing acute liver injury (ALI); however, it is time sensitive and most effective if administered within eight hours.

The research team tested the technique using both saliva and plasma samples from volunteers who had ingested paracetamol and saliva was found to be the preferred sample method.

The study was conducted in collaboration with Alder Hey NHS Foundation Trust, Royal Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.

Dr. Simon Maher, an expert in mass spectrometry technologies with the University of Liverpool’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Electronics, said, “This study demonstrates successful testing of the new PA-MS test in a clinical environment and lays the foundation for advancing point-of-care testing across emergency and routine clinical settings. This innovation represents a significant step forward in ambient ionization mass spectrometry techniques, with the potential for broad application in clinical diagnostics.”

Professor Dan Hawcutt, a clinical pharmacologist and Director of Research at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and Director of the NIHR Alder Hey Clinical Research Facility, said, “The speed, simplicity, and efficiency of this new technology has the potential to provide faster diagnosis, better patient outcomes, and cost savings for health care systems.”

The foundational development of this technology was published previously in The Analyst.

Dr. Robert Felstead, Deputy Director of Health care Technologies at EPSRC, added, “This research represents a significant breakthrough in the rapid and accurate quantitation of paracetamol. Given the high incidence of paracetamol overdose and its severe consequences, this innovative technology offers a fast, non-invasive and cost-effective solution that can greatly enhance patient care and outcomes.”

More information: Yufeng Zhou et al, Rapid and non-invasive analysis of paracetamol overdose using paper arrow-mass spectrometry: a prospective observational study, BMC Medicine (2024). DOI: 10.1186/s12916-024-03776-3

Journal information:BMC Medicine , Analyst

Provided by University of Liverpool

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