Troponin I biomarker sensing from clinical patient samples using molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles for advancing healthcare approaches in cardiovascular disease

Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is a critical protein biomarker for heart attack diagnosis. This study presents a thorough analysis of a novel biosensing device utilizing molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles (nanoMIPs) for detecting cTnI in clinical patient serum samples post myocardial infarction. The methodology, based on the heat-transfer method approach, offers faster measurements times than the current gold standard and sample volumes equivalent to a single blood drop. Biomarker binding shows performance comparable to a high-sensitivity ELISA, accurately identifying patients with elevated cTnI levels (R² = 0.893). The cTnI peak concentration time variations are attributed to heterogeneous serum complexes, with different troponin complex sizes potentially generating differing thermal insulation levels. Comparison with an established patient database demonstrates robust correlations between our cTnI concentrations and clinical parameters (R² = 0.855). This underscores the potential of nanoMIP sensors for sensitive cTnI detection, providing insights into post-heart attack biomarker levels. Furthermore, our methodology presents the additional benefits of being low cost and portable enabling measurements at time and place of patients. Consequently, it holds the potential to become a vital part of the diagnostic pathway for heart attack treatment, ultimately reducing healthcare costs and improving patient outcomes.