Method for Characterizing Immune Disorders

Abstract

Methods for characterizing immune diseases are provided which include exposing a sample of biological fluid from a patient to a pooled population of particles, wherein a first subset of particles is bound to a reactant that binds an antibody and a second subset of particles is bound to a reactant that binds an antigen. The methods further include determining a ratio of measured amounts of the antibody and the antigen in the sample. In some cases, the ratio is compared to one or more standard ratios representing differing states of the disease to determine a state of the disease within the patient. In other embodiments, the steps of exposing and determining a ratio of antibody to antigen are repeated for one or more additional samples of biological fluid taken from the patient. In such cases, at least two ratios are compared to analyze a progression of the disease.

1 . A method, comprising:
 exposing a sample of biological fluid from a patient to a pooled population of particles, wherein at least one first subset of the pooled population of particles is bound to a reactant that binds an antibody and at least one second subset of the pooled population of particles is bound to a reactant that binds an antigen;   measuring an amount of the antibody in the sample of biological fluid;   measuring an amount of the antigen in the sample of biological fluid;   determining a ratio of the measured amount of antibody to the measured amount of antigen; and   comparing the ratio to one or more standard ratios representing differing states of the disease to determine a state of the disease within the patient.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of comparing the ratio comprises determining the presence or absence of the disease within the patient. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of comparing comprises determining a stage of the disease within the patient. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 repeating the step of exposing and the two steps of measuring for one or more additional samples of biological fluid taken from the patient, wherein the one or more additional samples are taken successively in time relative to each other and the sample of biological fluid; and   determining a discrete ratio of antibody to antigen for each of the one or more additional biological fluid samples.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising comparing a ratio determined for one of the additional biological fluid samples to a ratio determined for a preceding sample of biological fluid to analyze a subsequent state of the disease within the patient. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising comparing a plurality of the ratios determined for the biological fluid samples to determine a progression of the disease over time within the patient. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the disease is a disorder involving circulating antigens. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the disease is an autoimmune disease. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the biological fluid is selected from a group comprising blood, serum, plasma, sweat, tears, urine, sputum, saliva, semen, cerebrospinal fluid, alveolar fluid, lung lavage, gastric fluid, gastric lavage, peritoneal fluid, wound fluid, nasal discharge, bone marrow sample, cyst fluid, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . A method, comprising:
 exposing a first sample of biological fluid from a patient to a pooled population of particles, wherein at least one first subset of the pooled population of particles is bound to a first reactant that binds an antibody and at least one second subset of the pooled population of particles is bound to a second reactant that binds an antigen;   measuring an amount of antibody in the first sample of biological fluid;   measuring an amount of antigen in the first sample of biological fluid;   determining a first ratio of the measured amount of antibody to the measured amount of antigen;   determining a second ratio of antibody to antigen in a second sample of biological fluid taken from the same patient as the first sample of biological fluid, wherein the second sample of biological fluid is drawn subsequent to the first sample of biological fluid; and   comparing the second ratio to the first ratio to analyze a state of the disease in the patient.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the disease is a disorder involving circulating antigens. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the disease is an autoimmune disease. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the disease:
 has progressed further on condition that the second ratio is greater than the first ratio;   is at least temporarily stabilized on condition that the second ratio is substantially equal to the first ratio; and   has regressed on condition that the second ratio is less than the first ratio.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising predicting an onset of the disease within the patient based on the comparison of the second ratio to the first ratio. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising determining a progression of the disease within the patient based on the comparison of the second ratio to the first ratio. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising comparing at least one of the first and second ratios to one or more standard ratios representing differing states of the disease to determine a state of the disease in the patient. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the biological fluid is selected from a group comprising blood, serum, plasma, sweat, tears, urine, sputum, saliva, semen, cerebrospinal fluid, alveolar fluid, lung lavage, gastric fluid, gastric lavage, peritoneal fluid, wound fluid, nasal discharge, bone marrow sample, cyst fluid, or combinations thereof.