Dynamic Changes in High-Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin I Levels Associate With Variations in Cardiovascular Risk Scores...

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Biomarkers
• Preventive Medicine

Background:

• Elevated high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) is linked to adverse cardiovascular outcomes in the general population.
• The association between hs-cTnI levels within the normal range and cardiovascular risk score variations is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between detectable hs-cTnI and cardiovascular risk profiles in a primary prevention cohort.
• To explore whether changes in hs-cTnI levels over time correlate with changes in cardiovascular risk scores.

Main Methods:

• An observational substudy of the CV-PREVITAL project involving 810 primary prevention subjects.
• Hs-cTnI measured at baseline and 12 months, with cardiovascular risk assessed using validated scores.
• Diet adherence, sleep quality, and clinical parameters were recorded, alongside structured lifestyle counseling.

Main Results:

• Detectable hs-cTnI at baseline was associated with older age, higher BMI, larger waist circumference, higher blood pressure, lower HDL cholesterol, and higher glycated hemoglobin.
• Participants with detectable hs-cTnI had higher scores on Progetto Cuore, Framingham Risk Score, ASCVD, and Finnish Diabetes Risk scores.
• At 12 months, the proportion of participants with undetectable hs-cTnI increased significantly, and while risk scores generally improved, changes in hs-cTnI did not consistently correlate with these changes.

Conclusions:

• The presence of detectable hs-cTnI in a primary prevention cohort is linked to a less favorable cardiovascular risk profile.
• The utility of hs-cTnI for longitudinal monitoring of cardiovascular risk requires further validation against actual cardiovascular outcomes.