Wallach's Interpretation of Diagnostic Tests: Pathways to Arriving at a Clinical Diagnosis (1085 page)

   Values are usually much higher in patients with uremia and muscle trauma compared to AMI.

   Myoglobin should not be used for the diagnosis of MI but may be useful in conjunction with other biomarkers for prognosis postrevascularization.

Suggested Readings

deLemos JA, Morrow DA, Gibson CM, et al. The prognostic value of serum myoglobin in patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes: Results from the TIMI 11B and TACTICS-TIMI 18 studies.
JACC.
2002;40:238.

Ordway GA, Garry DJ. Myoglobin: An essential hemoprotein in striated muscle.
J Exp Biol.
2004;207:3441–3446.

NEURON-SPECIFIC ENOLASE (NSE)

   Definition

   Specific serum marker for the family of neuroendocrine tumors of amine precursor uptake and decarboxylation series, which includes neuroblastoma, retinoblastoma, medullary carcinoma of thyroid, carcinoid, pancreatic cell carcinoma, pheochromocytoma, and small cell carcinoma of the lung (SCLC)

   
Normal range:
3.7–8.9 μg/L

   Use

   A follow-up marker in patients with NSE-secreting tumors of any type

   An auxiliary test in the diagnosis of SCLC

   An auxiliary test in the diagnosis of carcinoids, islet cell tumors, and neuroblastomas

   An auxiliary tool in the assessment of comatose patients

   Interpretation

   NSE in both serum and CSF is a sensitive and specific marker of neuronal injury in various neurologic disorders.

   NSE is increased in neuroblastoma and SCLC.