title: Troponin I in atrial fibrillation with no coronary atherosclerosis.
abstract: A number of reports have raised the possibility that myocardial strain could be associated to increased plasma levels of troponin I. A 69-year-old, male, Caucasian, patient was admitted with prolonged chest pain and dyspnoea. The electrocardiogram showed atrial fibrillation with a ventricular rate of about 120 to 150/minute. After treatment with digoxin and amiodarone, the patient returned to sinus rhythm. An elevation in the plasma levels of troponin I was noted, with a maximum value of 0.66 ng/ml. Coronary angiography showed absence of coronary artery atherosclerotic lesions. Atrial fibrillation of recent onset and with a relatively high heart rate may be yet another situation in which acute myocardial strain could be the cause of the abnormal release of cardiac troponin I.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Hospital São João, Faculty of Medicine, 4200 Porto, Portugal. jplnunes@med.up.pt
authors.forename: José Pedro L
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Nunes
authors.forename: João Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Maria Júlia
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Maciel
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000638:Amiodarone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004077:Digoxin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019210:Troponin I / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D019210:Troponin I; D004077:Digoxin; D000638:Amiodarone