Impact of troponin I level on coronary artery bypass grafting outcomes

Emma J Morone1, Shawn J Barker1, Carlos R Martinez Licha1

  • 1Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana.

Insights

Elevated preoperative cardiac troponin I (cTnI) levels before coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) increase adverse outcomes but not mortality. The timing between peak cTnI and CABG surgery does not impact results.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Cardiac Surgery
  • Biomarkers

Background:

  • Preoperative cardiac troponin levels are increasingly used to assess cardiac injury.
  • The prognostic value of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) before coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) remains unclear.
  • Understanding the impact of cTnI levels and timing is crucial for optimizing CABG outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effect of preoperative cardiac troponin I (cTnI) levels on outcomes after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).
  • To determine the impact of the time interval between maximum cTnI and surgery on CABG outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 608 patients undergoing isolated CABG (2009-2016) with available preoperative cTnI.
  • Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis to establish a cTnI threshold.
  • Comparison of outcomes between groups defined by the cTnI threshold.

Main Results:

  • A cTnI threshold of 5.74 µg/dL was identified as associated with worse outcomes.
  • Patients with peak cTnI >5.74 µg/dL had higher risk of adverse events and longer hospital stay.
  • No significant association found between cTnI levels and mortality or 30-day readmission.
  • Time interval between peak cTnI and surgery did not influence outcomes.

Conclusions:

  • Elevated preoperative cTnI above a specific threshold is linked to adverse postoperative outcomes in CABG patients.
  • cTnI level is not a predictor of mortality or 30-day readmission.
  • The timing between peak cTnI and CABG surgery does not appear to affect outcomes and may not require consideration in surgical planning.
Abstract

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