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. 2009 Nov 12;32(10):575–583. doi: 10.1002/clc.20662

Quartiles of Peak Troponin Are Associated with Long‐term Risk of Death in Type 1 and STEMI, but Not in Type 2 or NSTEMI Patients

Manuel A Gonzalez 1,, Christopher P Porterfield 1, Dana J Eilen 1, Rana A Marzouq 1, Hiren R Patel 1, Amit A Patel 1, Summiyah Nasir 1, Heang M Lim 1, Joseph D Babb 1, John D Rose 1, Wayne E Cascio 1
PMCID: PMC6652998  PMID: 19911352

Abstract

Background

The prognostic value of peak cardiac troponin (cTn) in different types of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) under the universal clinical classification is unknown.

Hypothesis

We tested the hypothesis that the prognostic value of cTn varies with its peak level and type of AMI.

Methods

We studied 345 consecutive patients with AMI with mean follow‐up of 30.6 months according to quartiles of peak cTn level (QPTL) and the type of AMI. The study outcomes were the major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE; composite of all causes of mortality and recurrent AMI) and the individual components of MACE.

Results

The study included patients with AMI Type 1 (n = 276), type 2 (n = 54), ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI; n = 159), and non‐ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI; n = 186). Overall, peak cTn level was an independent predictor of MACE (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.001, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.000–1.003, P = 0.01) and death (HR: 1.002, 95% CI: 1.001–1.004, P = 0.003), but not of recurrent AMI. The highest risk of MACE and death was in the highest QPTL (61.6%, P = .016 and 66.3%, P = 0.021, respectively) while the highest risk of recurrent AMI was in the lowest QPTL (83.7%, P = 0.04). Quartiles of peak cTn level were significantly associated with increased risk of MACE and death in patients with Type 1 (all P = 0.01) and STEMI (P = 0.01 and P = 0.02, respectively), but no association existed in type 2 or NSTEMI patients.

Conclusions

Overall, peak cTn predicts the risk of MACE and death but not the risk of AMI. While in Type 1 and STEMI patients, QPTL are associated with risk of MACE and death, no association exists in type 2 or NSTEMI patients. Copyright © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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