Measuring and testing – Gas analysis – Gas chromatography
Patent
1997-02-26
1998-09-08
Brock, Michael
Measuring and testing
Gas analysis
Gas chromatography
422 84, G01N 33497, G01N 3300
Patent
active
058029095
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to apparatus and methods for monitoring the level of carbon disuphide in a person's breath.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It has been known for sometime that one method of attempting to maintain sobriety in alcoholics and other patients with drink problems is to prescribe a daily or regular dose of disulfiram, for example, as is sold under the Trade name ANTABUSE. This has the effect that if a patient were to take alcohol within 24 or 48 hours of the dose they would be extremely ill and it could even possibly be fatal. It is obviously important that the prescribing Doctor or agency can be certain that the dose prescribed is being taken both from the point of view of the success of the treatment, and also because compliance with the regime can frequently be a condition of continued employment for such patients. Employers usually require a report from the prescribing physician stating that, in his opinion, the prescribed doses have been taken as instructed. Currently, the only method of making this determination is by detailed interviewing of the patient and of his relatives and colleagues.
It has been known for sometime that patients who take disulfiram expire carbon disulphide in their breath. This has been measured on a laboratory basis with a view to determining whether or not a dose has been taken, but the methods and apparatus used have only been appropriate for a limited academic investigations.
Carbon disulphide is also a hazard in certain industries, such as the Rayon industry and, at present, there is no convenient apparatus or method for measuring exposure on an individual basis.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
From a first aspect there is provided a breath testing apparatus having a sensor for detecting carbon disulphide.
From a second aspect the invention consists in an apparatus for self-testing for carbon disulphide in a sample of breath and means for storing the measurements on a daily basis.
It will be understood that by using a self-testing apparatus, the patient can build up a regular set of results which can be down loaded by the physician, who can check to see that the appropriate general level of carbon disulphide has been detected. In principle he could then immediately advise the employer or other agency the patient had complied with the regime. Conveniently, the self-tester may use a semi-conductor or infra-red gas sensor for detecting the carbon disulphide and could be configured very much in the form of apparatus which is currently used for detecting breath alcohol. Theoretically, fuel cells may also be used but those which have currently been tested suffer from a very slow response time particularly after a number of measurement cycles have been completed. Improvements in fuel cell design may overcome these problems.
It is however, anticipated that there might be concern amongst the agencies or employers that such a self-tester could be defeated by one or more patients conspiring together.
Accordingly in a third aspect, therefore, the invention consists in an apparatus for monitoring compliance of a patient with a prescribed disulfiram regime, including means for obtaining a sample of a patient's breath, a gas sensor for detecting the level of carbon disulphide in the sample, and means for indicating variations in the dose regime to the patient in or immediately prior to the dose period of the varied dose.
Thus, if the patient had been instructed to take a single tablet at 10.00 a.m. each morning, the apparatus will indicate on at least one day in a dose cycle that half a tablet, or some other reduced dose, should be taken on that day and this will lead to a commensurate drop in the carbon disulphide. This will be detected when the following day's sample is given by the patient.
Because the patient has no significant prior warning of the day on which the reduced or altered dose will be taken, it would be very difficult for him to locate another patient who was following exactly the same pattern. It is preferred that the indicating means
REFERENCES:
patent: 4413185 (1983-11-01), Leveson et al.
S.O. Farwell et al., "Determination of Total Biogenic Sulfur Gases by Filter/Flash Vaporization/Flame Photometry", Analytical Chemistry, vol. 52, No. 14, Dec. 1980, Columbus, pp. 2370-2375.
Bloor Roger Neil
Faulder George Charles
Faulder Richard Martin
Brock Michael
Larkin Daniel S.
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