Patent ID: 8691587

Claim:
A method for assessing heart failure in an individual comprising the steps of: contacting, in vitro, a portion of a sample obtained from the individual with an antibody having specific binding affinity for secreted frizzled related protein 3 (SFRP-3), thereby forming a complex of the antibody and the SFRP-3, the antibody having a detectable label, the sample being one of serum, plasma or whole blood; separating the complex formed in said step of contacting from antibody not comprising the complex of the antibody and the SFRP-3; quantifying a signal from the detectable label of the antibody comprising the complex of the antibody and the SFRP-3 formed in said step of contacting, the signal being proportional to an amount of SFRP-3 in the sample from the individual, whereby a concentration of SFRP-3 in the sample is calculated; comparing the concentration of SFRP-3 calculated in said step of quantifying to a SFRP-3 reference value; contacting, in vitro, a portion of the sample obtained from the individual with an antibody having specific binding affinity for an additional marker selected from the group consisting of a natriuretic peptide marker, a cardiac troponin marker, and a marker of inflammation, thereby forming a complex of the antibody and the additional marker, the antibody having a detectable label; separating the complex formed in said step of contacting from antibody not comprising the complex of the antibody and the additional marker; quantifying a signal from the detectable label of the antibody comprising the complex of the antibody and the additional marker formed in said step of contacting, the signal being proportional to an amount of the additional marker in the sample from the individual, whereby a concentration of the additional marker in the sample is calculated; comparing the concentration of the additional marker calculated in said step of quantifying to one of a natriuretic peptide marker reference value, a cardiac troponin marker reference value, and a marker of inflammation reference value; and diagnosing heart failure in the individual if the concentration of SFRP-3 calculated in said step of quantifying is greater than the SFRP-3 reference value and the concentration of the additional marker is greater than the respective reference value.