Analytical and clinical evaluation of troponin I determination on Dimension RxL-HM

The evaluation of cardiac troponin I (cTnl) on the Dimension RxL(R)-HM anal yzer is presented. The one-step enzyme immunoassay is based on two cTnI spe cific monoclonal antibodies. Performed on a separate module of the analyzer , assay-time is 17 minutes. Using as criterion a between-run impression CV <20% the functional limit of detection was set at 0.1 mu g/l. Cutoff level for minor myocardial damage of 0.1 mu g/l was found. In Duchenne's dystroph y, patients showed increased cardiac Troponin T (cTnT) but no increased cTn l. In patients with a history of coronary heart disease undergoing chronic hemodialysis, cTnT and cTnl were increased. In different patients with subm assive pulmonary embolism, increased cTnl was determined. In coronary arter y bypass surgery without perioperative myocardial infarction, patients with extracorporeal circulation showed significantly higher cTnl at 24 h after surgery than those with minimal cardiac surgery. In patients with unstable angina, increased cTnl was found more often than on Stratus analyzer. In co nclusion, the new assay is a very sensitive cTnl assay, fast and easy to pe rform in parallel to enzyme and substrate assays.