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Background
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Myoglobin, a heme protein with a molecular weight of approximately 17,500 Daltons is found in both cardiac and skeletal muscle. Damage to either type of muscle following conditions such as trauma, ischemia, and diseases that cause myopathy, is associated with the release of myoglobin into serum. Specifically, following cardiac necrosis associated with myocardial infarction (MI), myoglobin is one of the first markers to rise above normal levels. Myoglobin levels increase measurably above baseline within 2-4 hours post-infarct, peaking at 9-12 hours, and returning to baseline within 24-36 hours. In the absence of skeletal muscle trauma or other factors associated with a non-cardiac related increase in circulating myoglobin, its levels have been used as an early marker for myocardial infarct. A number of reports suggest using the measurement of myoglobin as a diagnostic aid in ruling out myocardial infarction 5,8 with negative predictive values of up to 100% reported at certain time periods after the onset of symptoms. Unlike the other cardiac enzymes such as creeatine kinase and the MB isoform (i.e., CK and CK/MB) which do not reach serum levels until several hours post-infarction (approx. 19 hours), myoglobin levels can be expected to peak within 6 to 9 hours. The Myoglobin Enzyme Immunoassay provides a rapid, sensitive, and reliable assay for the quantitative measurement of myoglobin in serum. The antibodies developed for the test will determine a minimal concentration of 5.0 ng/ml, and there is no cross-reactivity with related cardiac or skeletal enzymes.
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