Norwegian National Unit for CBRNE Medicine, Department of Acute Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
Air Ambulance Department, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol. 2022 Dec;131(6):547-554. doi: 10.1111/bcpt.13789. Epub 2022 Sep 17.
Gas chromatographic analysis for quantification of plasma methanol requires laboratory equipment and personnel, and it is typically unavailable in short time notice, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Detection of formate with the enzyme formate oxidase (FOX) is a promising method that can make the diagnosis of methanol poisoning simple and fast. The aims of this study were to test the sensitivity and specificity of a modified FOX-enzyme and to test the specificity of a point-of-care (POC)-model containing FOX-enzyme with samples from patients with metabolic acidosis. The sensitivity and specificity of FOX-enzyme in aqueous solution were evaluated with a spectrometer and by visual detection for colour change. Formate concentrations between 1 and 20 mmol/L were used to test sensitivity, and 18 potentially interfering substances were tested for specificity. The sensitivity of the FOX-enzyme was 100% and the specificity 97%. When specificity of the POC-model was tested, no false positives were detected. As such, the sensitivity and specificity of this modified FOX-enzyme for detection of formate were high. The results with this enzyme confirm the potential for its use in formate analysis as a fast diagnosis of methanol poisoning.
气相色谱分析定量检测血浆甲醇需要实验室设备和人员，而且通常无法在短时间内获得，特别是在中低收入国家。使用甲酸氧化酶（FOX）检测甲酸是一种很有前途的方法，可以使甲醇中毒的诊断既简单又快速。本研究的目的是测试改良 FOX 酶的灵敏度和特异性，并测试含有 FOX 酶的即时检测（POC）模型对代谢性酸中毒患者样本的特异性。通过分光光度计和肉眼观察颜色变化评估了 FOX 酶在水溶液中的灵敏度和特异性。使用 1 至 20mmol/L 的甲酸浓度来测试灵敏度，并用 18 种可能的干扰物质测试特异性。FOX 酶的灵敏度为 100%，特异性为 97%。当测试 POC 模型的特异性时，未检测到假阳性。因此，这种改良的 FOX 酶检测甲酸的灵敏度和特异性都很高。该酶的结果证实了其在甲酸分析中的潜在用途，可作为甲醇中毒的快速诊断方法。
