Aortic stiffness is associated with elevated high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T concentrations at a chronic stage
Hans-Josef Feistritzer1, Gert Klug, Sebastian J Reinstadler
1aUniversity Clinic of Internal Medicine III, Cardiology and Angiology bUniversity Clinic of Radiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, Innsbruck, Austria.
Insights
Aortic stiffness, measured by aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV), is linked to elevated high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-TnT) levels long after ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). This finding highlights a potential marker for cardiac damage in chronic STEMI patients.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Biomarkers
- Vascular Physiology
Background:
- Aortic stiffness, assessed by aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV), is crucial for evaluating left ventricular afterload and coronary perfusion.
- Subclinical elevation of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-TnT) may indicate ongoing myocardial damage.
- Understanding the relationship between aortic stiffness and hs-TnT post-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is important for long-term patient management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between aortic PWV and hs-TnT concentrations in patients at a chronic stage after acute STEMI.
- To determine if aortic stiffness is an independent predictor of elevated hs-TnT levels in this population.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 74 patients 12 months post-STEMI.
- Cardiac MRI was used to assess left ventricular function, morphology, infarct size, and aortic PWV.
- Peripheral blood samples were analyzed for hs-TnT levels using a commercial immunoassay.
Main Results:
- Aortic PWV showed a significant positive association with hs-TnT concentrations (r=0.435, P<0.001).
- Multiple linear regression analysis confirmed that aortic PWV was independently associated with hs-TnT levels (ß=0.330, P=0.025), even after adjusting for plasma creatinine.
- hs-TnT levels also correlated significantly with age, plasma creatinine, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein.
Conclusions:
- Aortic stiffness is associated with elevated hs-TnT concentrations in the chronic phase following STEMI.
- These findings suggest that aortic stiffness may serve as a marker for subclinical myocardial injury in long-term STEMI survivors.
Objectives:
Aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV)--the proposed gold standard for the assessment of aortic stiffness--is a major determinant of left ventricular after-load and coronary perfusion. We aimed to investigate the association between aortic PWV and subclinical elevation of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-TnT) concentrations at a chronic stage after acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).
Methods:
Seventy-four patients with acute STEMI were included in this cross-sectional single-centre study at the University Hospital of Innsbruck. All patients underwent cardiac MRI for the assessment of left ventricular function, morphology, infarct size and aortic PWV 12 months after acute STEMI. Blood samples were drawn at 12 months by peripheral venipuncture. Levels of hs-TnT were measured by a commercially available immunoassay (Roche Diagnostics).
Results:
hs-TnT levels (6.4 ng/l, inter-quartile range 5.0-8.6) were significantly associated with age (r = 0.417, P < 0.001), plasma creatinine levels (r = 0.257, P = 0.027), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels (r = 0.281, P = 0.015) and aortic PWV (r = 0.435, P < 0.001). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed aortic PWV (ß = 0.330, P = 0.025), apart from plasma creatinine concentrations (ß = 0.279, P = 0.010), to be independently associated with hs-TnT concentrations (model: R = 0.597, P < 0.001).
Conclusion:
The present study showed an association of aortic stiffness and hs-TnT concentrations at a chronic stage after STEMI.
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