Patent ID: 7319017

Claim:
An in vitro method for identifying a relative risk of heart failure in a subject following a Myocardial Infarction compared to subjects who have not suffered a Myocardial Infarction, the method comprising: determining a concentration of Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 in a bodily fluid sample from a subject who has suffered a Myocardial Infarction wherein said concentration of Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 is determined within twenty-four hours of said Myocardial Infarction; comparing the concentration of Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 in said subject following Myocardial Infarction with a reference concentration of Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 from individuals who have not suffered a Myocardial Infarction; and, correlating the concentration of Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 to a relative likelihood of heart failure wherein the concentration of Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 in the subject's sample is predictive for the relative risk that the subject will develop heart failure two years following Myocardial Infarction.