Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 18, 2026
Tissue Triage and Freezing for Models of Skeletal Muscle Disease
Published on: July 15, 2014
Positive troponin-T in noncompaction is associated with neuromuscular disorders and poor outcome
J Finsterer1, C Stöllberger, W Krugluger
1Krankenanstalt Rudolfstiftung, Vienna, Austria. dvarte@aonmail.at
Insights
Cardiac troponin-T is positive in 17% of patients with left ventricular hypertrabeculation/noncompaction (LVHT). This positivity often indicates an underlying neuromuscular disorder (NMD) and predicts poorer survival in LVHT patients.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Neurology
- Biomarkers
Background:
- Left ventricular hypertrabeculation/noncompaction (LVHT) is an unclassified cardiomyopathy.
- Elevated cardiac troponin-T is observed in other cardiomyopathies, but its prevalence in LVHT is unknown.
- Investigating troponin-T in LVHT is crucial for understanding its etiology and prognostic implications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the frequency of positive troponin-T in patients with LVHT.
- To assess the association of troponin-T positivity with elevated creatine kinase (CK).
- To identify cardiac and extra-cardiac causes, particularly neuromuscular disorders (NMDs), of troponin-T positivity and evaluate its predictive value for survival.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 100 patients diagnosed with LVHT over 11 years.
- Troponin-T levels were measured at least once in 71 patients.
- Correlation of troponin-T results with CK levels, cardiac conditions, NMDs, and survival data.
Main Results:
- Troponin-T was positive at least once in 17% of LVHT patients.
- A significant proportion of patients (63%) had an associated NMD.
- Troponin-T positivity was linked to NMD (10 cases), chronic renal failure (5 cases), and dilated cardiomyopathy (4 cases).
- Troponin-T positivity predicted the presence of NMD and was associated with poorer survival.
Conclusions:
- Troponin-T elevation occurs in 17% of LVHT patients.
- The majority of patients with positive troponin-T have an underlying NMD.
- Troponin-T positivity in LVHT serves as a predictor for NMD and adverse survival outcomes.
Objectives:
Though cardiac troponin-T may be positive in hypertrophic and dilated cardiomyopathy, it is not known how often troponin-T is positive in left ventricular hypertrabeculation/ noncompaction (LVHT), an unclassified cardiomyopathy. This retrospective study aimed to assess how often troponin-T is positive in LVHT, is associated with elevated CK, is attributable to cardiac or extra-cardiac causes, in particular neuromuscular disorders (NMDs), or if it is a predictor of poor survival.
Results:
Among 100 patients, detected over a period of 11 years, troponin-T was determined at least once in 71 (71%) of them. Troponin-T was determined once in 36 patients, twice in 8 cases, three times in 11 patients, and more than three times in 16 cases. Troponin- T was positive at least once in 12 patients (17%). Forty-five of the 71 patients suffered from a NMD (63%). Troponin-T positivity was associated with elevated CK in 6 cases. Troponin-T-positivity was attributable to acute myocardial ischemia in a single case, to chronic renal failure in 5 cases, to dilated cardiomyopathy in 4 cases, to atrial fibrillation in 3 cases, to heart failure in 4 cases, and to NMD in 10 cases. Troponin-T positivity in LVHT patients with NMD was assumed to be due to cardiac involvement in the disease. Among the 22 patients who died during the observational period troponin was determined in 16 and was positive in 4 (25%).
Conclusions:
Troponin-T is positive in 17% of the patients with LVHT. Most of these patients suffer from a NMD. Troponin-T positivity in LVHT predicts the presence of NMD and poor survival.
Related Concept Videos
01:15Myasthenia Gravis: Diagnostic Tests
The edrophonium test is a diagnostic tool for myasthenia gravis. It involves...
01:11Alterations in Muscle Tone lll
01:12Alterations in Muscle Tone ll
01:28Disorders of the Skeletal Muscle
Musculoskeletal disorders
Musculoskeletal disorders involve injuries and conditions affecting the skeletal muscles and associated connective tissues. These disorders can arise from acute biomechanical stresses or chronic overuse and can occur across different age groups. Common injuries include sprains, fractures, and muscular strains, often resulting from...
01:20Blood Studies for Cardiovascular System I: Cardiac Biomarkers
The essential diagnostic tools for detecting myocardial necrosis and monitoring individuals suspected of having acute coronary syndrome (ACS) include:
Troponins
Troponins, particularly cardiac troponins I and T, are the most precise and sensitive markers of myocardial injury. They are detectable within 4-6 hours of myocardial injury and remain...
01:29Tetanus