Elevated troponin T on discharge predicts poor outcome of decompensated heart failure.
Persistent elevation of cardiac troponin T (cTnT) predicts an adverse clinical outcome in patients with chronic heart failure (HF), but the underlying mechanisms remain to be determined. We investigated the association between predischarge cTnT elevation and coexistent pathophysiology in patients with decompensated HF. Plasma cTnT levels were determined before discharge in 170 patients with decompensated HF. We divided the patients into a group that was positive for cTnT [cTnT(+) group, n = 40] and a group that was negative for cTnT [cTnT(-) group, n = 130]. Multivariate analysis showed that use of beta-blocker therapy (odds ratio [OR] = 0.236, P = 0.003), an elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) level (OR = 3.731, P = 0.006), a high brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) level (OR = 3.570, P = 0.007), diabetes (OR = 3.090, P = 0.018), and anemia (OR = 2.330, P = 0.047) were independently associated with cTnT positivity. During a mean follow-up period of 441 days after discharge, total mortality (P < 0.001), cardiac death (P < 0.001), and exacerbation of HF requiring hospitalization (P = 0.007) were all more common in the cTnT(+) group than in the cTnT(-) group. Cox proportional hazards analysis showed that cTnT positivity was an independent predictor of total mortality (hazard ratio = 5.008, P = 0.004) in an age- and gender-matched model. Elevation of cTnT during convalescence was associated with lack of beta-blocker therapy, a high hsCRP level at discharge, a high BNP level at discharge, diabetes, and anemia, and a worse clinical outcome in patients with decompensated HF.
Cardiology Division, Department of Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
Kimi
K
Koide
Tsutomu
T
Yoshikawa
Yuji
Y
Nagatomo
Shun
S
Kohsaka
Toshihisa
T
Anzai
Tomomi
T
Meguro
Satoshi
S
Ogawa
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010351:Patient Discharge; D010359:Patient Readmission; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D020107:Troponin T / Q000097:blood*; D015854:Up-Regulation; D055815:Young Adult
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D015415:Biomarkers; D020107:Troponin T; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D002097:C-Reactive Protein