Increased High-Sensitivity Troponin-T Levels Are Associated with Mortality After Ischemic Stroke

Elevated troponin levels as a predictor of mortality in patients with acute stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background and Aim

The prognostic potential of cardiac troponin (cTn) in acute stroke patients has been a subject of ongoing debate. Our objective was to provide a comprehensive evidence for predicting mortality in acute stroke patients by using the elevated troponin levels.

Methods

We conducted an extensive literature search, including PubMed, EMbase, and Trip Databases, covering studies published up to September 30, 2023. We computed risk ratios (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), performed sensitivity analysis, and conducted trial sequential analysis (TSA).

Results

In total, 53 studies were analyzed, with 37 focusing on acute ischemic stroke (AIS), 11 on subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), and 7 on Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Elevated cTn levels were significantly showed a higher predictive risk for In-hospital mortality in both AIS (RR=3.80, 95% CI; 2.82 to 5.12) as well as SAH (RR=2.23, 95% CI; 1.64 to 3.02). However, no significant predictive risk between elevated cTn levels and in-hospital mortality for ICH patients (RR=1.13, 95% CI: 0.46 to 2.79). A similar pattern was observed for elevated cTn levels, indicating an increased risk of last follow-up mortality for AIS (RR=2.41, 95% CI: 1.98 to 2.93) and SAH (RR=3.08, 95% CI: 2.25 to 4.21).

Conclusion

Elevated troponin levels can serve as a promising predictive marker for both in-hospital and last follow-up mortality in AIS and SAH patients but not in ICH patients. Further prospective studies are needed to validate our findings along with exploring the preventive management of mortality in acute stroke settings.

Prognostic Value of Serum Cardiac Troponin in Acute Ischemic Stroke: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Cardiac troponin (cTn) is a specific biomarker of cardiac injury and elevation of cTn is related to increased mortality. However, prognostic value of cTn in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) still remains to be elucidated. The aim of this review is to explore the strength of association between elevated cTn and mortality after AIS onset.

METHODS

PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library were searched from inception to July 12, 2021 without language restriction. All studies reporting the association between cTn on admission and mortality in AIS patients have been included in this review. Meta-analysis was performed for overall and pre-specified subgroup risk ratios (RR) were obtained using a random effect model. Study quality was assessed for each included study.

RESULTS

There were 20 studies included in this meta-analysis with 9779 AIS patients met the inclusion criteria. There was significant association between elevated cTn and mortality in patients with AIS (RR 3.87; 95% CI 3.24-4.63). The association was consistent across the pre-specified subgroup analyses by type of troponin (cTnT or cTnI), assay of troponin (conventional or high-sensitivity), region (Asian or Non-Asian), definite exclusion of ACS/AMI patients or not (yes or not mentioned), adjusted AF, HF and impaired renal function or not (yes or no).

CONCLUSIONS

AIS patients with elevated cTn at baseline has an increased risk of mortality. Early and routine evaluation of cTn may contribute to timely detection of comorbid cardiac injury and prevent unfavorable outcomes in patients with AIS.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42020160912.

Role of troponin as a biomarker for predicting outcome after ischemic stroke

BACKGROUND:

After acute ischemic stroke, a higher level of troponin has been considered as an important biomarker for predicting mortality.

AIM AND OBJECTIVES:

The study aimed to quantitatively assess the prognostic significance of the effect of baseline troponin levels on all-cause mortality in patients with acute ischemic stroke using a meta-analysis approach.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

The following electronic databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, TRIP Database, and ClinicalTrialsgov were used for obtaining the relevant articles from literature. Data were extracted in standardized data collection form by two independent investigators. Any disagreements were resolved by consensus. All the statistical analyses were performed in STATA software (Version 13.1).

RESULTS:

A total of 19 studies were included in the present meta-analysis involving a total of 10,519 patients. The pooled analysis suggested that elevated serum troponin level was associated with inhospital mortality (rate ratios [RR] 2.34, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.30–3.38) and at the end of last follow-up mortality (RR 2.01; 95% CI 1.62–2.40). Sensitivity analysis by removing a single study by turns indicated that there was no obvious impact of any individual study on the pooled risk estimate. No significant publication bias was observed in the beg test (P = 0.39); however, significant publication bias was observed in the egger test (P = 0.046).

CONCLUSION:

Our findings indicated that a higher level of troponin might be an important prognostic biomarker for all cause in hospital and follow-up mortalities in patients with acute ischemic stroke. These study findings offer insight into further investigation in prospective studies to validate this particular association. The study was registered in OSF registries DOI's 10.17605/OSF. IO/D95GN

Elevation of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T at admission is associated with increased 3-month mortality in acute ischemic stroke patients treated with thrombolysis

Background

Elevated levels of cardiac troponin T (cTnT) have been associated with unfavorable outcomes in cardiac patients. However, no studies, to date, have discussed the prognostic value of high‐sensitivity cTnT (hs‐cTnT) in thrombolyzed patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS).

Hypothesis

We hypothesized that elevated levels of hs‐cTnT would be associated with poorer clinical outcomes in AIS patients treated with intravenous tissue‐type plasminogen activator (IV tPA).

Methods

From January 2017 to February 2018, a total of 241 AIS patients treated with IV tPA within 4.5 hours of onset were recruited. On admission, patients were stratified into either normal or elevated hs‐cTnT groups according to a cutoff value of 14 ng/L. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify determinants of hs‐cTnT elevation and to detect whether elevated hs‐cTnT was associated with disability and/or mortality.

Results

In multivariable regression analysis, older age (P < .001) and stroke etiology (P = .024) were significantly associated with elevated hs‐cTnT levels. After adjusting for demographic and clinical characteristics, hs‐cTnT elevation was still significantly associated with 14‐day major disability (modified Rankin Scale (mRS) 3‐5, model 1, P = .019, odds ratio [OR] 2.677; model 2, P = .015, OR 2.834), 14‐day composite unfavorable outcome (mRS 3‐6, model 1, P = .005, OR 3.525; model 2, P = .003, OR 3.976), 30‐day mortality (P = .049, OR 4.545) and 90‐day mortality (P = .049, OR 3.835).

Conclusions

Elevation of hs‐cTnT at admission is associated with an increased risk of 90‐day mortality in AIS patients treated with IV tPA.

Cardiac troponin for predicting all-cause mortality in patients with acute ischemic stroke: a meta-analysis

Cardiac troponins are specific biomarkers of cardiac injury. However, the prognostic usefulness of cardiac troponin in patients with acute ischemic stroke is still controversial. The objective of this meta-analysis was to investigate the association of cardiac troponin elevation with all-cause mortality in patients with acute ischemic stroke. PubMed and Embase databases were searched for relevant studies up to April 31, 2017. All observational studies reporting an association of baseline cardiac troponin-T (cTnT) or troponin-I (cTnI) elevation with all-cause mortality risk in patients with acute ischemic stroke were included. Pooled adjusted risk ratio (RR) and corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) were obtained using a random effect model. Twelve studies involving 7905 acute ischemic stroke patients met our inclusion criteria. From the overall pooled analysis, patients with elevated cardiac troponin were significantly associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality (RR: 2.53; 95% CI: 1.83-3.50). The prognostic value of cardiac troponin elevation on all-cause mortality risk was stronger (RR: 3.54; 95% CI: 2.09-5.98) during in-hospital stay. Further stratified analysis showed elevated cTnT (RR: 2.36; 95% CI: 1.47-3.77) and cTnI (RR: 2.79; 95% CI: 1.68-4.64) level conferred the similar prognostic value of all-cause mortality. Acute ischemic stroke patients with elevated cTnT or cTnI at baseline independently predicted an increased risk of all-cause mortality. Determination of cardiac troponin on admission may aid in the early death risk stratification in these patients.

Hematological Parameters Outperform Plasma Markers in Predicting Long-Term Mortality After Coronary Angiography

High-sensitivity troponin I (hsTnI) and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP) are predictors of coronary artery disease. Recently, routine hematological parameters emerged as mortality predictors. We examined the predictive value of hematological parameters (from the Utrecht Patient Oriented Database) and hsTnI and NT-pro-BNP for mortality in a coronary angiography population (Utrecht Coronary Biobank n = 1913). Using Cox regression, receiver operating characteristics, integrated discrimination improvement (IDI), and continuous net reclassification improvement (cNRI) analysis, we compared the predictive properties of hematological parameters with hsTnI and NT-pro-BNP for mortality. During a median follow-up duration of 1.8 years, 77 deaths occurred. A panel of 7 hematological parameters (leukocyte count, reticulocyte mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, red blood cell [RBC] green (FL1) fluorescence, %neutrophils, %large [>120 fL] RBCs, %monocytes, and coefficient of variation of neutrophil complexity) was highly predictive. Added to clinical characteristics, hematological parameters (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.855, P < .001; IDI: 0.04, P = .02; cNRI: 0.41, P < .001) were better predictors than hsTnI (AUC: 0.818) or NT-pro-BNP (AUC: 0.834) alone or combined (AUC: 0.834). Hematological parameters may provide mortality risk information following coronary angiography and may be superior to hsTnI and/or NT-pro-BNP.

Troponin T in Prediction of Culprit Lesion Coronary Artery Disease and 1-Year Major Adverse Cerebral and Cardiovascular Events in Patients with Acute Stroke

Troponin T (TnT) elevation above the 99th percentile upper reference limit (URL) is considered diagnostic of acute myocardial infarction (MI). Non-specific increases of TnT are frequent in acute stroke patients. However, in these patients, correct diagnosis of MI is crucial because the antithrombotic medications used to treat acute MI might be harmful and produce intracranial bleeding. In this study, we aimed to associate enhanced TnT levels defined by different cutoff values with occurrence of culprit lesion coronary artery disease (CAD) as well as 1-year major adverse cerebral and cardiovascular events (MACCEs). In this cohort study, we investigated 84 consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke and concomitant MI. TnT levels were measured using a fourth-generation TnT assay. The incidence of culprit lesion CAD was determined by coronary angiography. MACCEs were recorded during 1-year follow-up. Culprit lesion CAD occurred in 55 % of patients, and 1-year MACCE in 37 %. TnT levels above the manufacturers' provided 99th URL (TnT > 0.01) were not associated with culprit lesion CAD (relative risk [RR], 1.3; 95 % confidence interval [CI] 0.96-1.8; P = 0.09). Slightly increased cutoff level (TnT > 0.03) increased specificity and was associated with culprit lesion CAD without decreasing sensitivity (RR, 1.5; 95 % CI 1.1-2.2; P = 0.021) and 1-year MACCE (RR, 1.7; 95 % CI 1.3-2.3; P < 0.001). Slightly increasement of the TnT cutoff level predicted MACCEs and is superior in prediction of culprit lesion CAD in stroke patients without being less sensitive. This finding has to be confirmed in large-scale clinical trials.