title: Short- and long-term prognostic value of postoperative cardiac troponin I concentration in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The value of postoperative cardiac troponin I (cTnI) has been shown to indicate a higher risk of in-hospital death after cardiac surgery. The authors therefore assessed the long-term prognostic value of cTnI in patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass grafting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Consecutive patients (n = 202) were included and divided into two groups according to the postoperative value of cTnI (< or >/= 13 ng/ml). In-hospital mortality and nonfatal cardiac events (delayed extubation > 24 h; postoperative requirement of inotropic agent; ventricular and supraventricular arrhythmia; postoperative myocardial infarction) were recorded. Survivors were then followed up over a 2-yr period. Data are median and odds ratio (95% confidence interval).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of all patients, 174 (86%) had a low cTnI (4.1 ng/ml; range, 1.1-12.6) and 28 (14%) had a high cTnI (23.8 ng/ml; range, 13.4-174.6). In-hospital mortality was not significantly different (4 vs. 2%), whereas long-term mortality (18 vs. 3%, P = 0.006) and mortality from cardiac cause (18 vs. 1%, P < 0.001) was greater in patients with a high cTnI. A high cTnI was a significant factor predicting death (odds ratio, 7.3 [2.0-27.1]) or death from cardiac causes (odds ratio, 37.4 [4.2-334.4]). Nonfatal cardiac events were also more frequent in the hospital (64 vs. 41%, P = 0.02) and within the 2-yr follow-up period (39% vs. 16%, P = 0.03) in patients with high cTnI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A high postoperative peak of cTnI is associated with increased risk of death, death from cardiac causes, and nonfatal cardiac events within 2 yr after coronary artery bypass grafting.
authors.affiliation: Département d' Anesthésie Réanimation, Centre Hospitalier Privé Saint Martin, Caen, France. jean-luc.fellahi@stmartin-caen.gsante.fr
authors.forename: Jean-Luc
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Fellahi
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gué
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Richomme
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Monier
authors.forename: Louis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Guillou
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Riou
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000758:Anesthesia; D015415:Biomarkers; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000401:mortality; D023381:Endpoint Determination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011292:Premedication; D011379:Prognosis; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019210:Troponin I / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019210:Troponin I