title: [The role of serial measurement of troponin in patients with a suspected myocardial injury after chest trauma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Myocardial contusion is often associated with blunt chest trauma. Its diagnosis is challenging to the professionals who work in emergency department due to nonspecific symptoms and the lack of auxiliary exams with enough accuracy to diagnose. Among the available diagnostic tools, the biomarkers of myocardial injury troponin I and troponin T have stood out. Troponins are proteins of the citocellular apparatus, released into the bloodstream only after the disruption of myocytes cellular membrane. Therefore they are highly specific to detect myocardial injuries.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  We performed a clinical review using the electronic databases MedLine and LILACS from January 1980 to November 2006 about the importance of a serial measurement of troponin I and T as a diagnostic tool as well as predictor of unfavorable clinical outcome in patients with myocardial contusion after a blunt chest trauma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although troponins I and T are more specific than usual biomarkers CKMB and CK, these two first biomarkers show a low sensitivity and positive predictive value to diagnosis myocardial contusion. Patients with ECG abnormalities, troponins elevations or both should remain in an intensive care unit (ICU) for at least 24 hours, period in which they cam develop most of the complications related to myocardial contusion.
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Terapia Intensiva Adultos, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein.
authors.forename: Thiago Domingos
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Corrêa
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Terapia Intensiva Adultos, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein.
authors.forename: Rogério da Hora
authors.initials: Rda H
authors.lastname: Passos
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Terapia Intensiva Adultos, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein.
authors.forename: Danilo Teixeira
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Noritomi
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Terapia Intensiva Adultos, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein.
authors.forename: Evandro José de Almeida
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Terapia Intensiva Adultos, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Capone Neto