Myoglobin can also be used as a diagnostic indicator of an AMI. Myoglobin is an oxygen-binding protein in cardiac and skeletal muscle. It is released earlier after muscle injury than cardiac troponins and CK-MB and returns to normal faster than either of these other markers. It rises within 2 - 4 hours after chest pain, peaks in 6 - 12 hours, and is usually normal within 24 - 36 hours.
Because of myoglobin's increase after skeletal muscle injury, it lacks the needed specificity for diagnosis of ACS and an AMI. False-positive elevation of myoglobin may also occur in a patient with impaired renal function since myoglobin is cleared through the kidneys.
Myoglobin reference ranges for adults when an immunoassay method is used are approximately:
- Male 17-106 ng/mL
- Female 1-66 ng/mL
Variation in ranges may be seen with different measurement methods.