Defining high-sensitivity cardiac troponin concentrations in the community

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Biomarker Research
• Clinical Diagnostics

Background:

• High-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) assays detect troponin in more individuals than conventional assays.
• Establishing proper reference values is crucial for the clinical use of hs-cTn assays.
• This study aimed to define hs-cTnI reference values and determinants in a general population.

Purpose of the Study:

• Define high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) reference values in a general community cohort.
• Identify determinants of hs-cTnI concentrations in a healthy reference population.
• Compare hs-cTnI levels in healthy individuals versus those with specific cardiovascular and renal conditions.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a community-based cohort of 2042 participants with clinical and echocardiographic assessments.
• Obtained baseline hs-cTnI measurements in 1843 individuals.
• Identified a healthy reference cohort (n=565) excluding cardiac, renal, or echocardiographic abnormalities.

Main Results:

• Measurable hs-cTnI was detected in 93% of the community cohort and 88% of the healthy cohort.
• In healthy individuals, age, male sex, systolic blood pressure, and left ventricular mass were associated with higher hs-cTnI.
• Individuals with cardiac dysfunction or hypertension had significantly higher hs-cTnI than the healthy cohort.

Conclusions:

• hs-cTnI assays demonstrate high sensitivity in the general population.
• Significant sex and age differences exist in hs-cTnI levels among healthy individuals.
• These findings are vital for establishing hs-cTnI reference ranges and disease identification.