Serum troponin I measurement of subjects exposed to the Taser X-26.
The Taser is a high-voltage, low-amperage conducted energy device used by many law enforcement agencies as a less lethal force weapon. The objective of this study was to evaluate for a rise in serum troponin I level after deployment of the Taser on law enforcement training volunteers. A prospective, observational cohort study was performed evaluating serum troponin I levels in human subjects 6 h after an exposure to the Taser X-26. Outcome measures included abnormal elevation in serum troponin I level (> 0.2 ng/mL). There were 66 subjects evaluated. The mean shock duration was 4.36 s (range 1.2-5 s). None of the subjects had a positive troponin I level 6 h after exposure. It was concluded that human volunteers exposed to a single shock from the Taser did not develop an abnormal serum troponin I level 6 h after shock, suggesting that there was no myocardial necrosis or infarction.
Sloane
Christian M
CM
Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California, San Diego Medical Center, San Diego, California 92103-8676, USA.
Chan
Theodore C
TC
Levine
Saul D
SD
Dunford
James V
JV
Neuman
Tom
T
Vilke
Gary M
GM
D002140:California; D004597:Electroshock / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D035846:Law Enforcement; D008297:Male; D016495:Police; D019210:Troponin I / Q000097:blood*; D054041:Weapons
D019210:Troponin I