Dr Weimer said that previous antibody-based tests lacked the sensitivity of ImmunoFlow because they relied on the bacteria diffusing through a paper membrane covered with antibodies.
It appears to be superior to standard antibody-based quality-control tests currently used for that purpose, but such scientific advances will need to undergo extensive validation studies before they can be considered a reliable predictor of effects in vivo and eliminate the need for clinical data.
In additional tests in 33 patients, they found that those with higher levels of the weak antibody IgG4 had a less favourable prognosis compared with those with levels nearer to normal.