title: Cardiac troponin I (2nd generation assay) in chronic haemodialysis patients: prevalence and prognostic value.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Elevated serum cardiac troponin T (cTnT) levels are frequently observed in chronic dialysis patients and have been shown to be associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to determine whether cardiac troponin I (cTnI), which is less frequently elevated, has similar clinical significance.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 101 asymptomatic patients with no clinical evidence of coronary artery disease who were undergoing chronic dialytic treatment. We measured their serum cTnI levels immediately before the start of their dialysis sessions by a second-generation assay (OPUS-DADE). Our study included a year-long follow-up with trimestrial cTnI assays as well as clinical, X-ray and echocardiographic surveillance. We considered patients with serum cTnI > or =0.15 ng/ml as positive and those with levels <0.15 ng/ml as negative.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 14 patients with high serum cTnI levels, nine (64%) suffered acute cardiac events during the 12-month follow-up. In contrast, among the 72 patients with low cTnI levels only seven (9.7%) had acute events. In another group of 15 patients with variable cTnI levels, three patients (20%) had cardiac events.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on these results, serum cTnI appears to be a valuable predictive marker of cardiovascular events in asymptomatic dialysis patients. For those patients who might benefit from thorough cardiac investigation and treatment, information on cTnI could be useful in preventing cardiac events.
authors.affiliation: Chemical Laboratory, Aurelia Hospital, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beciani
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tedesco
authors.forename: Anneo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Violante
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cipriani
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Azzarito
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sturniolo
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Splendiani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism*; D011379:Prognosis; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D019210:Troponin I / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019210:Troponin I