Measurement of glial fibrillary acidic protein in blood: an analytical method

Background: In the present study, a new assay for the measurement of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in human blood is described. The aim of the study was to present the characteristics of a new GFAP assay for blood analysis. Methods: The method, a newly developed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), was validated using blood samples from healthy blood donors and from patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Results: 22 out of 72 healthy blood donors had a detectable GFAP level. The reference values (percentiles) are as follows: P50 = 0.15 mug/l and P95 = 0.49 mug/l; range 0.15-0.76 mug/l. Conclusions: GFAP in blood might be a promising new marker for astrocyte involvement after acute brain damage. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.