Detection of endotoxin in the plasma of patients with gram-negative bacterial sepsis by the Limulus amoebocyte lysate assay.
A total of 120 Limulus amoebocyte lysate (LAL) determinations were made on plasma obtained from normal, healthy human blood donors. Results demonstrated a mean endotoxin level in blood of 0.02 to 1.57 pg/ml. The amount of Escherichia coli endotoxin added to human plasma samples can be quantitated by both nephelometry and turbidimetry. Endotoxin-spiked samples were shown to be significantly different from unspiked samples. When plasma samples were collected from 45 patients hospitalized at three centers, a strong association was demonstrated between a positive Limulus amoebocyte lysate assay and a septic condition. Sensitivity, specificity, and false-positive and false-negative rates for the Limulus amoebocyte lysate assay as a diagnostic test for gram-negative bacteremia were estimated.
D004731:Endotoxins / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria; D006801:Humans; D008033:Limulus Test; D008297:Male; D009391:Nephelometry and Turbidimetry; D018805:Sepsis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013053:Spectrophotometry
D004731:Endotoxins