Patent ID: 8084224

Claim:
A method for diagnosing heart muscle damage, comprising: performing an immunoassay to determine the amount of cardiac troponin I in a sample from a subject, by combining a) an antibody conjugate comprising a signal generating element and a first antibody that specifically binds to cardiac troponin I complexed with troponin C and troponin T and specifically binds to free cardiac troponin I; and b) said sample, thereby forming a reaction mixture comprising said antibody conjugate bound to said cardiac troponin I, if present, in said sample; applying said reaction mixture to a surface comprising a second antibody capable of specifically binding to cardiac troponin I; capturing said cardiac troponin I—antibody conjugate complex on said surface via said second antibody, whereby the captured complex produces a detectable signal; detecting said signal; relating said signal to the amount of troponin I present in the sample, wherein said immunoassay is configured to provide assay results that are within a factor of two for (i) cardiac troponin I, uncomplexed to either troponin T or troponin C; and (ii) an equivalent concentration of cardiac troponin I in a complex with troponin T and troponin C and; relating the amount of cardiac troponin I present in the sample to the occurrence or nonoccurrence of heart muscle damage.