Randox launches automated laboratory assay for Heart-type Fatty Acid Binding Protein

Highly sensitive & specific biomarker of myocardial ischemia can now be used routinely for the diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

Randox Laboratories, the international clinical diagnostics company, has today launched an automated laboratory assay for Heart-type Fatty Acid Binding Protein (H-FABP), to improve the diagnosis and management of patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

This new rapid, fully quantitative assay means that H-FABP can now be used routinely in the acute clinical setting; previous laboratory assays were more suited to research.

Recent trials have shown that H-FABP provides highly significant diagnostic value, especially during the early hours following ACS symptom onset. Such results are particularly valuable in the early period when current diagnostics struggle, and many patients are conservatively admitted for observation, often unnecessarily. The use of H-FABP, alongside Troponin, offers the potential to rule-out ACS in many patients from the time of presentation.

These results have also been shown to apply with the new generation of "high sensitivity" Troponins (hsTn). The results of one recent study from the University of Manchester, UK, were presented in Berlin in May. These results suggest that a combination hsTnT, H-FABP and ECG on admission, will provide a highly accurate rule-out test for AMI.

Lead author, Dr Rick Body, explains "We know from existing evidence that H-FABP and troponin have additive diagnostic value.  In a recent study, we showed that the combination of H-FABP and troponin is more accurate for early diagnosis than troponin alone and more accurate than other biomarker combinations".

Dr. Body continues, 'It is apparent that even a normal hs-troponin level at presentation doesn't rule out acute myocardial infarction (AMI) without serial sampling.   This demonstrates the clinical need for an early marker such as H-FABP".

CEO of Randox Laboratories, Dr Peter Fitzgerald, believes this assay revolutionises ACS management. "Hospitals can now utilise a quantitative H-FABP assay, in combination with Troponin, as part of their standard clinical protocol. This combination offers greater potential for earlier ACS rule-out, better risk stratification and improved management of ACS patients". He continues, "The new Randox H-FABP assay can be easily performed on a wide range of chemistry analysers. We believe this represents a wonderful opportunity to improve the management of patients with suspected ACS and improve healthcare efficiency".