[Cardiac troponin I: a marker for detecting non-ischemic cardiac injury]

To investigate if cardiac troponin I (cTnI) could be used to monitor non-ischemic cardiac damage.

Two categories of patients without clinical evidence of acute myocardial infarction but suspected to have cardiac damage were included: acute heart failure (n = 37, heart function classified as class IV); and post burn injury (n = 30, TBSA 4% approximately 98%). Serum samples from these patients were analyzed for cTnI by chemiluminescent immunoassay.

Elevated plasma cTnI was found in 89% of patients with acute heart failure (P < 0.001). Clinical conditions of the patients improved with declining of cTnI, while heart function deteriorated with the increasing of cTnI. Elevated plasma cTnI was also found between the 5(th) day to 14(th) day of post burn in 90% of burn patients. Mean cTnI level was significantly higher in patients with TBSA > 30% (P < 0.001) and in those patients with obvious burn wound exudation (P < 0.002). cTnI peaked when obvious burn wound exudation or eschar spontaneous separation. cTnI decreased after surgical excision. Two patients with persistent high cTnI developed tachycardia.

cTnI is a sensitive marker for non-ischemic cardiac damage. Monitoring of cTnI is useful in differentiating the two categories of patients.