Troponin T as a marker for posttransplantation adaptational problems of the donor heart.
BACKGROUND
Troponin T is used as a marker for myocardial cell damage (e.g., in aiding diagnosis and follow-up of myocardial infarction). Elevated troponin T levels are also observed after heart transplantation, although until now no explanation could be found for this phenomenon.


RESULTS
Serum samples of 15 patients who underwent orthotopic heart transplantation were tested for troponin T with a one-step enzyme immunoassay. The highest concentrations of troponin T were seen between day 3 and 14 after transplantation (3.05 +/- 1.30 micrograms/L) and remained elevated up to 3 months. A correlation (r = 0.61, p < 0.02) was found between pretransplantation systolic pulmonary artery pressure and the cumulative troponin T release after transplantation. No association was found with rejection, and no correlation was found with ischemic time of the donor heart.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings support the hypothesis that the acute exposure of the donor heart to the preexisting elevated right ventricular afterload in the recipient represents a strong mechanical stress for the transplanted heart. Measurement of troponin T may therefore be helpful in the posttransplantation monitoring and management of ventricular function after orthotopic heart transplantation.
Halwachs
G
G
Department of Internal Medicine, Karl Franzens University, Graz, Austria.
Iberer
F
F
Pieber
T
T
Müller
H
H
Tscheliessnigg
K
K
Tiran
A
A
Sabin
K
K
Wilders-Truschnig
M
M
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001794:Blood Pressure; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006084:Graft Rejection; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009200:Myocardial Contraction; D011651:Pulmonary Artery; D013599:Systole; D014336:Troponin / Q000097:blood*; D020107:Troponin T; D016278:Ventricular Function, Right
D015415:Biomarkers; D014336:Troponin; D020107:Troponin T