Troponin levels help predict new-onset atrial fibrillation in ischaemic stroke patients: a retrospective study.
BACKGROUND
Elevated levels of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) have been reported in acute stroke and atrial fibrillation (AF). We tested a hypothesis in which the result of an initial cTnI assay helps predict new-onset AF (NAF) early in the course of ischaemic stroke in patients with sinus rhythm on admission.


METHODS
This retrospective study included all patients admitted to our unit for acute ischaemic stroke between January 2006 and December 2007 (n = 402). NAF was defined as AF discovered during cardiac monitoring in patients with sinus rhythm on admission. Elevated cTnI was defined as a value > or =0.03 microg/l.


RESULTS
27 (6.7%) patients had NAF. In a univariate analysis, age (70.8 in patients with NAF vs. 64.6 years in patients without NAF, respectively; p = 0.024), smoking status (3.5 vs. 25.3%; p = 0.009), total anterior circulation infarcts (18.5 vs. 5.9%; p = 0.03) and elevated cTnI levels (63.0 vs. 29.9%; p = 0.001) were associated with NAF. Stepwise logistic regression identified elevated cTnI levels (OR 4.1; 95% CI 1.81-9.33; p = 0.001)and active smoking (OR 0.11; 95% CI 0.01-0.82; p = 0.03) as independent factors for NAF.


CONCLUSIONS
Moderately elevated troponin levels in acute ischaemic stroke are independently associated with NAF.
Bugnicourt
Jean-Marc
JM
Department of Neurology and Laboratoire de Neurosciences Fonctionnelles et Pathologies, Amiens University Hospital, Amiens, France. bugnicourt.jean-marc@chu-amiens.fr
Rogez
Vincent
V
Guillaumont
Marie-Pierre
MP
Rogez
Jean-Claude
JC
Canaple
Sandrine
S
Godefroy
Olivier
O
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D019540:Area Under Curve; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D012372:ROC Curve; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012907:Smoking / Q000097:blood; D020521:Stroke / Q000097:blood*; D014336:Troponin / Q000097:blood*
D014336:Troponin