A Rule-Out Strategy Based on High-Sensitivity Troponin and HEART Score Reduces Hospital Admissions

We evaluate whether a combination of a 1-hour high-sensitivity cardiac troponin algorithm and History, ECG, Age, Risk Factors, and Troponin (HEART) score reduces admission rate (primary outcome) and affects time to discharge, health care-related costs, and 30-day outcome (secondary outcomes) in patients with symptoms suggestive of an acute coronary syndrome.

This prospective observational multicenter study was conducted before (2013 to 2014) and after (2015 to 2016) implementation of a strategy including level of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T or I at 0 and 1 hour, combined with the HEART score. Patients with a nonelevated baseline high-sensitivity cardiac troponin level, a 1-hour change in high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T level less than 3 ng/L, or high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I level less than 6 ng/L and a HEART score less than or equal to 3 were considered to be ruled out of having acute coronary syndrome. A logistic regression analysis was performed to adjust for differences in baseline characteristics.

A total of 1,233 patients were included at 6 centers. There were no differences in regard to median age (64 versus 63 years) and proportion of men (57% versus 54%) between the periods. After introduction of the new strategy, the admission rate decreased from 59% to 33% (risk ratio 0.55 [95% confidence interval {CI} 0.48 to 0.63]; odds ratio 0.33 [95% CI 0.26 to 0.42]; adjusted odds ratio 0.33 [95% CI 0.25 to 0.42]). The median hospital stay was reduced from 23.2 to 4.7 hours (95% CI of difference -20.4 to -11.4); median health care-related costs, from $1,748 to $1,079 (95% CI of difference -$953 to -$391). The number of clinical events was very low.

In this before-after study, clinical implementation of a 1-hour high-sensitivity cardiac troponin algorithm combined with the HEART score was associated with a reduction in admission rate and health care burden, with very low rates of adverse clinical events.