A SERS sensor platform based on AgOHCs@MS with high-density nanogaps for point-of-care diagnostics of antidepressant intoxication

Rapid detection of antidepressant intoxication is of significant clinical importance for accurate diagnosis and timely resuscitation. Herein, we developed a point-of-care diagnostics (POCD) approach that integrates surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and efficient adsorption. This point-of-use sensor was constructed by modifying silver octahedral hollow cages (AgOHC) onto a porous melamine sponge (MS) in a 96-well plate. The etching conditions were optimized to create a high density of nanogaps on the AgOHC surface, thereby generating sufficient hotspots. Clear trends were observed between the SERS strength and the concentrations of duloxetine and escitalopram using this sensor. This system exhibits detection limits for duloxetine and escitalopram in gastric juice, urine, and serum as low as 1.04–45.23 ng/mL, sufficiently sensitive for clinical diagnosis of antidepressant poisoning. Furthermore, the feasibility was evaluated by applying it to serum samples from patients. The results obtained using this method are in accordance with those obtained using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. Compared with conventional methods, this approach represents an effective method with satisfactory recovery and rapid detection time (∼1 min), rendering it suitable for POCD. This cost-effective and user-friendly SERS-based POCD approach provides a novel alternative for rapid detection in non-laboratory settings and holds considerable promise for clinical applications.