Measurement and uses of oxidative status
View Patent ↗The present invention provides a method of determining the overall oxidative status of a body fluid or a tissue of a patient by measuring the oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) of the body fluid or tissue. The method has been found to be useful in the diagnosis, evaluation and monitoring of patients who have suffered a trauma (such as a head injury), patients suspected of being critically-ill, patients who have a viral infection, and patients suspected of having a myocardial infarction. The method has also been found useful in monitoring and evaluating exercise performance in patients. In addition, the method has been found useful in monitoring and evaluating stored blood products and patients who will receive such a product.
1. A method of determining when to begin treatment of a patient having a broken bone, the method comprising:
a) at the time of first examination of the patient, measuring the oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) of a body fluid from the patient by contacting the body fluid with an electrode connected to a machine that provides a read out of the ORP; and,
b) comparing the ORP of the body fluid with a normal ORP value;
c) immediately beginning treatment of the patient if the ORP value of the body fluid is statistically greater than the normal ORP value.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the treatment is antioxidant therapy.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the ORP is measured in plasma from the patient.