Cardiac Biomarkers and Analytical Methods

The study aims to evaluate the analytical performance of different kits and molecular markers commercially available (or in pre-industrial development phase) for the assays of the cardiac biomarkers: cTnI , NT-proBNP and sST2. 500 samples (residual serum) from patients hospitalized and/or referred to the DEA Department, for which troponin and/or NT-proBNP tests have been requested routinely or urgently by clinicians, will be included in the study. The analytical performance of the various kits and the intra- and interassay imprecision will be evaluated. Comparison of methods will be calculated by Passing-Bablok regression and graph by Bland-Altman. Through the non-parametric Passing-Bablok model the obtained data will be compared with the various analytical methods, reporting them one in function of the other, together with the regression line. From the regression equation, the proportional systematic error will be evaluated as angular coefficient of the straight line and the constant systematic error as an intercept of the equation