Cardiac troponin I: a biomarker for detection and risk stratification of minor myocardial damage.
Myocardial infarction has long been a subject of research in cardiology and biochemistry. Within the past few years, a number of new phrases, micro-infarction, minor cardiac damage and non-ischemic cardiac damage have been frequently used and discussed since cardiac troponin I (cTnI) was introduced. Using this sensitive and specific biomarker it is now possible to detect minor cardiac damage occurring in different clinical settings: spontaneous, trauma, thermal injury, septic shock, or during cardiovascular surgery. The advent of this marker also opens a subject on the pathophysiologic aspect of non-ischemic cardiac damage that has not yet been fully understood and verified. This article reviews current knowledge of cTnI and its relationship with unstable angina and non-ischemic cardiac damage. The clinical implication of recent research findings on cTnI is also discussed.
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Clinical Laboratory, Guang Zhou Red Cross Hospital, Ji Nan Medical School, Ji Nan University, PR China. stsxns@zsu.edu.cn
D000789:Angina, Unstable / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D019210:Troponin I / Q000097:blood*
D015415:Biomarkers; D019210:Troponin I