Cor Vasa 2005, 46(1):18-21
"Heart-type fatty acid-binding protein" in capillary blood: early evidence of myocyte damage in acute myocardial infarction
- Kardiologické oddělení, Interní klinika, Krajská nemocnice Pardubice, Česká republika
Biochemical markers of myocardial injury allow to detect acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and to estimate its extent. The newer markers include Heart-type Fatty Acid-Binding Protein (H-FABP). In addition, a qualitative "one-step" test has recently been devised providing rapid evidence of increased H-FABP levels in a drop of capillary blood obtained from fingertip. The aim of our study was to test the clinical validity of the test in a group of 38 patients. A total of 24 patients with chest pain and EKG-documented ST-segment elevations (STEMI group) and 14 patients with non-cardiac complaints were admitted to the Department of Internal Medicine. The test was positive in 20 (87%) and false negative in three patients (13%) of the STEMI group showing an increase in TnI, within 12 hours of admission, over the "cut-off" levels of 1.0 µg/l. The FABP test was positive in 7 out of 8 patients admitted within 3 hours of onset of symptoms of AMI. In a control group, the test was negative in 12 cases (86%) and false positive in two patients (14%). Results are fully consistent with data from large studies reporting high test sensitivity and specificity in very early stages of AMI.
Keywords: Acute Myocardial Infarction; Heart Type Fatty Acid-Binding Protein; One-step FABP test; Troponin I
Published: January 1, 2005 Show citation