IMA
The Test
How is it used?
If the troponin (which may take several hours to start to increase after an MI) is negative and the ECG is not definitive, then the ischemia-modified albumin test may add valuable information about whether myocardial ischemia is occurring. IMA may be ordered along with a myoglobin test in the first few hours of chest pain to try to stratify the patientÂ’s risk of having a heart attack in the near future.
When is it ordered?
What does the test result mean?
When IMA is not present in a patient who has been having chest pain for a few minutes to a few hours, then it is unlikely that ischemia has occurred. When IMA and myoglobin are negative, an ECG is normal, and a troponin is negative (at initial and repeat testing), then it is unlikely that the patientÂ’s chest pain has or will result in a heart attack in the near future.
If the patient has been experiencing chest pains for several hours, then the IMA test may not be as valuable because it may have already risen and fallen back to normal or near normal levels by the time the blood sample is collected.
Is there anything else I should know?
The IMA test is not widely used at present. Although it is regarded as a promising cardiac biomarker, its ultimate clinical utility has yet to be determined. Many physicians are adopting a wait-and-see attitude. They want to see more data accumulated on its use and on the factors, such as underlying diseases and decreased albumin levels, that may affect or interfere with its interpretation.
