Development and Diagnostic Validation of an Automated Rapid Testing Platform for Serum Lysophosphatidylcholine as a Sepsis Biomarker

Background: Sepsis is a life-threatening condition, requiring timely diagnosis and reliable biomarkers for effective management. Lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) has emerged as a promising biomarker; however, conventional quantification methods, such as liquid chromatography- tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), are time-consuming and resource-intensive. We developed and validated an automated rapid testing platform based on enzymatic spectrophotometry for serum LPC quantification. Methods: Serum LPC was quantified using an automated rapid testing platform based on enzymatic hydrogen peroxide generation, detected colorimetrically with the chromogen DA-67. Analytical accuracy was evaluated through method comparison with ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry (N=35 samples) and an LC-MS/MS (N=120 samples). Participants were classified into sepsis and septic shock (N=35), systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS, N=10), and healthy controls (N=75). Statistical analyses included logistic regression, ROC analysis, and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Results: