Rising Cardiac Troponin: A Prognostic Biomarker for Mortality After Acute Ischemic Stroke

Abstract

Background Elevated cardiac troponin (cTn) is detected in 10% to 30% of patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and correlates with poor functional outcomes. Serial cTn measurements differentiate a dynamic cTn pattern (rise/fall >20%), specific for acute myocardial injury, from elevated but stable cTn levels (nondynamic), typically attributed to chronic cardiac/noncardiac conditions. We investigated if the direction of the cTn change (rising versus falling) affects mortality and outcome. Methods and Results We retrospectively screened consecutive patients with AIS admitted to 5 stroke centers for elevated cTn at admission and at least 1 additional cTn measurement within 48 hours. The pattern of cTn was defined as rising if >20% increase from baseline, falling if >20% decrease, or nondynamic if ≤20% change in either direction. Logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the association of cTn patterns and 7‐day mortality and unfavorable discharge disposition. Of 3789 patients with AIS screened, 300 were included. Seventy‐two had a rising pattern, 66 falling, and 162 nondynamic. In patients with AIS with rising cTn, acute ischemic myocardial infarction was present in 54%, compared with 33% in those with falling cTn ( P <0.01). Twenty‐two percent of patients with a rising pattern had an isolated dynamic cTn in the absence of any ECG or echocardiogram changes, compared with 53% with falling cTn. A rising pattern was associated with higher risk of 7‐day mortality (adjusted odds ratio [OR]=32 [95% CI, 2.5–415.0] rising versus aOR=1.3 [95% CI, 0.1–38.0] falling versus nondynamic as reference) and unfavorable discharge disposition (aOR=2.5 [95% CI, 1.2–5.2] rising versus aOR=0.6 [95% CI, 0.2–1.5] versus falling). Conclusions Rising cTn is independently associated with increased mortality and unfavorable discharge disposition in patients with AIS.