Coronary Artery Disease Detected Using Urine Test

German researchers recently conducted a trial using a urine test that looks for fragments of collagen, a protein that plays a significant role in blocking the arteries of the heart. For the trial, researchers performed the urine test for 67 people that showed signs of coronary artery disease. Lead study author Dr. Constantin von zur Muehlen of the University Hospital Freiberg, along with colleagues, used mass spectrometry and capillary electrophoresis to detect protein fragments in the urine associated with hardening of the arteries. Trial participants also received an X-ray exam known as a coronary angiography, which is standard technique for detecting hardening of the arteries. The research group then compared the results of the urine tests with the X-rays of each participant and found that the accuracy of the urine test was 84 percent.

The study, which was presented at a meeting of the American Heart Association, is not the first to try and detect coronary artery disease using a urine test. A study out of Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston in 2007 found that people with stable cardiovascular disease that had the protein albumin present in their urine had an increased risk of death. The leakage of albumin, which is normally found in the blood, into the urine was indicative of blood vessel damage in the kidneys, which led to a higher risk of cardiovascular death. Researchers involved in the study using this more recent collagen-detecting urine test believe the technique is going to require more research and development before it can be used clinically. Coronary artery disease is the leading killer of both men and women in the U.S. According to the Mayo Clinic, factors that affect a person’s chances of developing coronary artery disease include age, gender, family history, smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, physical inactivity and stress. Men have a higher risk of developing the disease than women, although the risk for women does increase after menopause. If you or a loved one has experienced a delay in diagnosis or treatment of a heart attack or other heart-related problem, call or e-mail the attorneys at Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, P.C. We serve clients with medical malpractice cases in Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, Nassau and Suffolk. We also serve clients located in Staten Island and Westchester County.

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