Furthermore,while troponin T takes three to six hours to rise to measurablecirculating levels after myocardial injury, MPO levels were significantlyelevated at baseline (even within two hours after the onset of symptoms) inpatients who were initially negative for troponin T. These findings suggestthat measurement of MPO levels may be useful in triage in the emergencydepartment and that elevated plasma MPO levels may be a marker of unstableangina preceding myocardial necrosis and therefore, a predictor of vulnerableplaque. The gene discussed is MPO; the disease is injury.