Troponin levels in patients with myocardial infarction after coronary artery bypass grafting

Background. The objective of this study was to evaluate serum cardiac troponin T and I levels in patients in whom electrocardiogram, myocardial scan, and serum CK-MB levels of the MB isoenzyme of creatine kinase indicated perioperative myocardial infarction (MI) after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Methods. We studied 590 patients who underwent CABG at the Montreal Heart Institute between 1992 and 1996. Postoperative cardiac troponin T levels (493 patients), troponin I levels (97 patients), and activity of the MB isoenzyme of creatine kinase, electrocardiograms, clinical data, and clinical events were recorded prospectively. The diagnosis of perioperative PMI was defined by a new Q wave on the electrocardiogram, by serum levels of the MB isoenzyme of creatine kinase higher than 100 IU/L within 48 hours after operation, or both. Results. After CABG, 22 patients in whom troponin T levels (22/493, 4.5%) and 6 patients in whom troponin I levels (6/97, 6.2%) were measured had sustained a perioperative MI according to current diagnostic criteria. In these patients, troponin T levels higher than 3.4 μg/L 48 hours after CABG best detected the presence of perioperative MI, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.95, a sensitivity of 90%, a specificity of 94%, a positive predictive value of 41%, a negative predictive value of 99%, and a likelihood ratio of 15. Serum troponin I levels higher than 3.9 μg/L 24 hours after CABG confirmed the perioperative MI with an area under the receiver operating curve of 0.86, a sensitivity of 80%, a specificity of 85%, a positive predictive value of 24%, a negative predictive value of 99%, and a likelihood ratio of 5. Conclusions. Serum troponin T levels higher than 3.4 μg/L 48 hours after CABG correlated best with the diagnosis of perioperative MI. Serum troponin T levels greater than 3.9 μg/L 24 hours after CABG also correlated with the diagnosis of perioperative MI, although a larger experience is needed to confirm the validity of the chosen cutoff value.