Patent ID: 8628979

Claim:
A method for treating impaired fluid homeostasis in a subject having symptoms of, being diagnosed with, or being at risk of developing heart failure, wherein the method comprises: a) identifying the subject as in need of treatment for impaired fluid homeostasis by a method comprising: (i) providing a sample from the subject; (ii) measuring the quantity of circulating melanoma cell adhesion molecule (MCAM) in the sample from the subject; (iii) comparing the quantity of circulating MCAM measured in (ii) with a reference value of the quantity of circulating MCAM, said reference value representing normal fluid homeostasis, and finding a deviation of the quantity of circulating MCAM measured in (ii) from said reference value so as to identify the subject as in need of the treatment, wherein an increased quantity of circulating MCAM in the sample from the subject compared to a reference value representing normal fluid homeostasis identifies the subject as in need of treatment of impaired fluid homeostasis; and b) treating the subject having the deviation, with a treatment or therapy that restores fluid homeostasis by decreasing the fluid content, selected from the group consisting of treatment with exogenous and/or endogenous diuretic agents, ultrafiltration, and treatment with exogenous and/or endogenous vasopressive antagonists.