In patients with heart failure and non-ischemic heart disease, cardiac troponin T is a reliable predictor of long-term echocardiographic changes and adverse cardiac events.
BACKGROUND
The relationships between (1) serum concentration of cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and clinical hemodynamic profiles, (2) cTnT versus B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and long-term echocardiographic changes, and (3) cTnT versus BNP and echocardiographic changes, and rates of adverse cardiac events, have not been well elucidated.


METHODS
Retrospective analysis of 100 consecutive patients with heart failure, left ventricular ejection fraction < 50%, and non-ischemic heart disease was performed.


RESULTS
Baseline cTnT was > or = 0.01 ng/ml in 30 patients. By multiple variable logistic regression analysis, diabetes mellitus [DM; odds ratio (OR) 7.5; p=0.014], serum creatinine (OR 25.9; p=0.0157), and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP; OR 1.12; p=0.0214) were independent predictors of baseline elevation of cTnT. At a follow-up of 40.6+/-20.6 months, echocardiograms and cTnT and BNP measurements were available in 93 patients, of whom 23 experienced an adverse cardiac event. By multiple variable analyses, elevated cTnT at follow-up was negatively correlated with echocardiographic improvements in cardiac function (OR 0.10; p=0.019), and was a significant predictor of adverse cardiac events after adjustment for covariables, including follow-up BNP and echocardiographic changes (hazard ratio 5.6; p=0.0046).


CONCLUSIONS
DM, serum creatinine, and PCWP were correlated with elevated baseline serum cTnT concentrations. cTnT concentration during follow-up might be a surrogate marker of heart failure.
Sato
Yukihito
Y
The Department of Cardiology, Hyogo Prefectural Amagasaki Hospital, Higashidaimotsucho 1-1-1, Amagasaki, Hyogo 660-0828, Japan. cardioys@kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp
Nishi
Kiyoto
K
Taniguchi
Ryoji
R
Miyamoto
Tadashi
T
Fukuhara
Rei
R
Yamane
Keiichiro
K
Saijyo
Sayaka
S
Tanada
Yohei
Y
Yamamoto
Erika
E
Goto
Taisuke
T
Takahashi
Naoki
N
Fujiwara
Hisayoshi
H
Takatsu
Yoshiki
Y
D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011669:Pulmonary Wedge Pressure; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020107:Troponin T / Q000097:blood*
D015415:Biomarkers; D020107:Troponin T; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D003404:Creatinine