Cardiac Troponin Variation Trends in Patients With Acute Pulmonary Embolism

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is among the deadliest diseases in that it can cause sudden death. The present study aimed to determine cardiac troponin I (CTnI) variation trends in patients with acute PE referred to Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center.

This cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study consecutively enrolled 54 patients with acute PE. Variation trends of CTnI were measured in the study population at 5 different time points: upon admission and subsequently 8, 24, 48, and 72 hours post-admission. The relationships between CTnI variation trends and computed tomography angiography, echocardiography, and electrocardiography findings were investigated. CTnI variation trends were compared between a group undergoing catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT) and a group receiving the conventional anticoagulant treatment. The data were analyzed using the SPSS software, version 20.

A reduction was observed in the CTnI variation trends of all the samples. Both groups exhibited a decline in CTnI levels, but the slope of this reduction was steeper in the CDT group (P=0.04). Additionally, a significant relationship was also detected between CTnI reduction and right ventricular function improvement (P=0.04). No significant association was observed between systolic pulmonary artery pressure changes and CTnI variation trends.

The results indicated a significant relationship between reduced CTnI levels and improved right ventricular function. Additionally, the CDT group showed a significant fall in the CTnI level compared with the anticoagulant-only group. (Iranian Heart Journal 2022; 23(1): 198-204)