Patent ID: 6939678

Claim:
An assay for determining the presence or amount of a free and complexed cardiac specific isoform of troponin in a patient sample, said assay comprising: performing an immunoassay with an antibody which specifically binds said free cardiac specific isoform of troponin, and which specifically binds said cardiac specific isoform of troponin in a binary complex comprising one other troponin component selected from the group consisting of troponin I, troponin C and troponin T, and which specifically binds said cardiac specific isoform of troponin in a ternary complex comprising two other troponin components selected from the group consisting of troponin I, troponin C and troponin T; and detecting a signal from said immunoassay resulting from said antibody binding said free and complexed cardiac specific isoform of troponin, wherein said signal is at least a factor of two larger than a signal resulting from said antibody binding to an equal number of (i) free troponin components which are not said cardiac specific isoform of troponin; (ii) troponin complexes which do not comprise said cardiac specific isoform of troponin; or (iii) a combination of (i) and (ii), and wherein said signal is related to the presence or amount of said free and complexed cardiac specific isoform of troponin in said sample.