Clinical cardiology
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Clinical cardiology · Jul 2001
Multicenter Study Comparative StudyA double-blind, multicentered study comparing the accuracy of diagnostic markers to predict short- and long-term clinical events and their utility in patients presenting with chest pain.
Millions of patients present annually with chest pain, but only 10% have myocardial infarction (MI). We recently reported comparative sensitivity and specificity of available markers in the diagnosis of MI; however, optimum interpretation of marker results requires prognostic follow-up data. ⋯ With the possible exception of myoglobin, each of the diagnostic markers displayed similar prognostic performance in patients with chest pain presenting to emergency departments. The most appropriate markers to triage patients with chest pain, which has both adequate early diagnostic sensitivity and prognostic accuracy, are the CK-MB subforms.