Diagnostic Level of Cardiac Troponin T in Patients with Chronic Renal Dysfunction, A Pilot Study
Apichard Sukonthasarn MD*, Sumeth Ponglopisit MD*
Affiliation : * Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai
Objective : To find the diagnostic level and rising pattern of cardiac troponin T (cTnT) in patients with chronic
renal dysfunction presented with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).
Materials and Methods : A pilot, cross-sectional study to compare the level of cTnT in adult patients with
chronic renal dysfunction who were admitted and later confirmed to have AMI with those in the age and sex-
matched controls with chronic renal dysfunction and non-coronary diagnosis.
Results : Twenty-three patients were enrolled into each group. The mean cTnT levels in the AMI group were
significantly higher than in the control group. Magnitude and rate of post-admission rise of cTnT were not
significantly different between both groups. The diagnostic level of cTnT for AMI was 0.1 nanogram per
milliliter with 90.90% sensitivity and 84.50% specificity. The sensitivity and specificity of this diagnostic level
were 91.30% and 100.00% respectively when patients with chronic renal replacement were excluded.
Conclusion : The level of cTnT of at least 0.1 nanogram per milliliter within the first 24 hours of admission was
diagnostic for AMI in patients with chronic renal dysfunction. The sensitivity and specificity of the tests were
better if the patients with chronic renal replacement were excluded.
Keywords : Cardiac troponin T, Chronic renal dysfunction
