NOVEL BIOMARKER OF ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROMES

The present invention is concerned with a novel circulating biomarker of cardiac disease. The present invention provides assays, methods and test kits for detection of insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 and to the utility of IGFBP-3 in clinically relevant diagnoses of acute coronary syndromes including, for example, unstable angina pectoris, alongside classical risk factors including history of angina and abnormal electrocardiogram. The present invention further provides assays, methods and test kits for identifying inducible cardiac ischaemia in a patient by measuring the levels of IGFBP-3 in conjunction with other risk factors such as an elevated levels of troponin, an abnormal electrocardiogram, a history of heart failure and/or a history of myocardial alongside interrogation of the IGFBP-3 or ΔIGFBP-3 levels in a sample obtained from the patient, and using this information to inform prophylactic or therapeutic treatment options for ischaemia.