Bioluminescent method to determine non-specific endotoxicosis in therapy.

The possibility of using a bioluminescence method for measuring endotoxicosis during therapy has been investigated. Results of our experiments shown that a bioluminescence method can be used as a reliable criterion to monitor the course of disease for patients with bronchitis, ulcerous disease or chronic colecystitis. Assays using both soluble and immobilized reagents are possible. This method does not reveal differences in patients with sepsis, hepatocirrhosis or oncology. The methods are highly sensitive, rapid and simple and allow quantitative determination of the degree of seriousness of illness and estimation of the severity of a patient's condition. At present the test is used to find substances responsible for the toxic state. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.