Objective To evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of CardioDetect (Heart type fatty acid binding protein) against Troponin I in the early detection of myocardial infarction in patients with acute chest pain in the emergency department of the Cardioinfantil Foundation – Cardiology Institute . Materials and methods: Diagnostic test study, cross-sectional in the emergency department of the Cardioinfantil Foundation - Cardiology Institute. The diagnostic performance of the myocyte fatty acid binding protein was evaluated in 38 patients (28 patients with a diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction and 10 patients with a diagnosis of unstable angina) who consulted the emergency department of the Cardioinfantil Foundation within 3 first hours of onset of symptoms. Results: The average age was 63 years. Of the 28 patients with acute myocardial infarction coronary syndrome, Cardiodetect® was positive in 27 occasions, while it was positive in 1 of 10 patients with a final diagnosis of unstable angina, with a sensitivity and a positive predictive value of 96. 4%, specificity and value Predictive negative of 90%, likelihood ratio positive 9. 64 and likelihood ratio negative 0. 04. As for troponin, of the 28 patients with acute myocardial infarction, it showed positivity in 15 cases, whereas in patients with a final diagnosis of unstable angina, there was no positivity in any patient, with a sensitivity of 53%, specificity of 100% Positive predictive value of 100%, negative predictive value of 43. 5%.
