Correlation of elevated cardiac troponin T level with severity and in-hospital outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke

Background: Although elevated cardiac troponin T (cTnT) is a specific marker of acute coronary syndrome, its increment in patients with acute ischemic stroke is not clear. The aim of this study is to identify the relationship between high cTnT levels and stroke severity as well as in-hospital outcomes. Materials and Methods: This observational, cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 patients with acute ischemic stroke in Rizgary teaching hospital from January 2016 to January 2017. Patients were divided into two groups: Group 1 patients (n = 61) with normal cTnT level and Group 2 patients (n = 39) with elevated cTnT level. The relationships between cTnT levels and stroke severity as well as in-hospital outcomes were assessed and compared between the two groups. Results: In this study, cTnT was raised in 39 patients (39%). Patients with elevated cTnT levels were mainly males, had a significantly higher prevalence of hypertension and diabetes mellitus than the normal cTnT group (P < 0.001, for all). Systolic blood pressure and total cholesterol were significantly higher (P < 0.008 and < 0.001, respectively) in Group II patients than in Group I. In addition, Group II patients had more severe stroke and longer length of stay in hospital than in Group I patients, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.001, for all). The incidence of aspiration pneumonia, seizures, hemorrhagic transformation of ischemic stroke, and death was significantly higher (P < 0.001, for all) in Group II patients than in Group I patients. Conclusion: Elevated serum cTnT level at hospital admission is highly correlated with severity and poor in-hospital outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke