This test is a lateral flow chromatographic immunoassay designed to qualitatively detect cardiac troponin I in human whole blood, serum or plasma specimens. It provides a preliminary test result that may assist in the diagnosis of myocardial infarction (MI).
The rapid test is intended for professional use only. The result obtained should not be used to reliably rule out a myocardial infarction.
Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is a protein with a molecular mass of 22.5 kDa that is found in cardiac muscle. It belongs to the troponin complex, which also includes troponin T and troponin C. Together with tropomyosin, this complex forms a central unit that regulates the calcium-dependent ATPase activity of actomyosin in striated skeletal and cardiac muscles.
In the event of cardiac damage, cardiac troponin I is released into the blood approximately 4-6 hours after the onset of symptoms. Its release is similar to that of CK-MB, but the concentration of cTnI remains elevated for longer - up to 6-10 days - while CK-MB returns to normal after 72 hours. This provides a larger window of time for detecting cardiac damage.
The high specificity of cTnI for detecting myocardial damage has been demonstrated during operations, after marathons, or in blunt chest injuries, among other cases. Release of cTnI has also been observed in other heart diseases such as unstable angina, heart failure, and ischemic damage after coronary artery bypass surgery. Due to its high sensitivity and specificity for myocardial tissue, troponin I has established itself in recent years as one of the most important biomarkers for the diagnosis of myocardial infarction.
