US 12,140,516 B2
Diagnostic methods and device
Laura Elizabeth Downie, Victoria (AU); Leslie Yeo, Victoria (AU); and Amarin George McDonnell, Victoria (AU)
Assigned to THE UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE, Victoria (AU); and ROYAL MELBOURNE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, Victoria (AU)
Filed by ROYAL MELBOURNE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, Victoria (AU); and THE UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE, Victoria (AU)
Filed on Jun. 7, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/834,542.
Application 17/834,542 is a continuation of application No. 16/327,063, granted, now 11,397,145, previously published as PCT/AU2017/050900, filed on Aug. 24, 2017.
Claims priority of application No. 2016903362 (AU), filed on Aug. 24, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2022/0299415 A1, Sep. 22, 2022
Int. Cl. G01N 11/02 (2006.01); A61B 5/00 (2006.01); A61B 8/00 (2006.01); G01N 13/02 (2006.01); G01N 29/00 (2006.01); G01N 29/02 (2006.01); G01N 29/14 (2006.01); G01N 29/24 (2006.01); G01N 33/487 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 11/02 (2013.01) [A61B 5/0051 (2013.01); A61B 8/00 (2013.01); G01N 13/02 (2013.01); G01N 29/00 (2013.01); G01N 29/022 (2013.01); G01N 29/14 (2013.01); G01N 29/2418 (2013.01); G01N 33/487 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for evaluating Dry Eye Disease in a human or animal subject, the method comprising:
determining thread thinning dynamics of a tear sample of the subject using an acoustically-driven microfluidic extensional rheometry instrument, wherein the determined thread thinning dynamics comprise at least one extensional viscosity measurement of the tear sample;
calculating at least one physical parameter value of the tear sample based at least in part on the at least one extensional viscosity measurement of the determined thread thinning dynamics of the tear sample;
evaluating Dry Eye Disease based at least in part on the calculated at least one physical parameter value of the tear sample, wherein evaluating Dry Eye Disease comprises:
comparing the at least one physical parameter value with at least one reference value for evaluating Dry Eye Disease; and
evaluating Dry Eye Disease based on the comparison of the at least one physical parameter value with the at least one reference value for evaluating Dry Eye Disease; and
providing at least one outcome of the evaluation of Dry Eye Disease, wherein the at least one outcome includes at least one of:
a presence of Dry Eye Disease, wherein the presence of Dry Eye Disease is diagnosed when an extensional viscosity value of the tear sample is less than a threshold value or within a range of reference values indicative of a presence of Dry Eye Disease;
a borderline Dry Eye Disease or a definitive Dry Eye Disease;
a mild, a moderate or a severe definitive Dry Eye Disease;
an aqueous deficient Dry Eye Disease and/or an evaporative Dry Eye Disease; and
a predominant aqueous deficient Dry Eye Disease or a predominant evaporative Dry Eye Disease.