Abstract
Objectives: To compare between the qualitative estimation of biochemical markers
Point-of-Care testing) with the quantitative estimation of the same markers in the
diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS).
Design: Case-series study.
Setting: This study was carried out in coronary care unit in Ibn- Sena Teaching
Hospital in Mosul city from January to November, 2008.
Participant: Sixty five patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) presented with
chest pain.
Main outcome measures: Three cardiac markers (Creatine kinase (CK-MB)
activities (marker of necrosis), myoglobin (marker of muscle injury), and troponin I
(marker of necrosis), were estimated qualitatively (near the patient= Point-of-Care
testing), and quantitatively, and the results were compared. Kappa test was used for
the association between the quantitative and qualitative test results.
Results: The case-series study showed correlation of attributes between qualitative
estimation results of troponin I, myoglobin and CK-MB and quantitative estimation
results of the same parameters in (88.9%) tests.
Conclusion: The early diagnosis of ACS might be facilitated by the use of qualitative
point-of-care testing based on CK-MB, troponin I and myoglobin tests.
