Methods and systems for measuring and using the oxidation-reduction potential of a biological sample

Abstract

Methods and systems for measuring and using the oxidation-reduction characteristics of a biological sample are provided. The system generally includes a test strip and a readout device. A fluid sample is placed in the test strip, and the test strip is in turn operatively connected to the readout device. The readout device provides a controlled current that is sent across the fluid in the sample chamber. In addition, the readout device identifies an inflection point or transition time at which the voltage between contacts of the test strip is changing at the highest rate. The oxidation-reduction capacity of the sample is taken as the integral of the current profile from the time at which current begins to be supplied to the sample to the identified transition time.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A readout device, comprising:
 a plurality of readout contacts;   an analog front end, including:
 a current supply; 
 an electrometer, 
   wherein the current supply is operable to provide a current to first and second contacts of the plurality of readout contacts, and wherein the electrometer is operable to read a voltage potential between the second contact and a third contact of the readout contacts.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a controller;   an analog to digital converter, wherein the analog to digital converter connects the electrometer to the controller;   a digital to analog converter, wherein the digital to analog converter connects the controller to the current supply.   
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the controller is operable to determine an inflection point in the voltage potential, and is further operable to determine a quantity of the charge supplied between a first time and the inflection point. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a user interface, wherein the user interface includes a user output, and wherein the user output provides a cORP value derived from the determined quantity of the charge supplied between the first time and the inflection point.   
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a connector, wherein the connector is operative to receive a test strip containing a fluid sample, wherein the readout contacts are included in the connector, and wherein the readout contacts are placed in operative contact with leads of a test strip.