CARDIAC TROPONIN-T RELEASE IN MULTIPLY INJURED PATIENTS

Cardiac troponin T (cTnT), a new marker of myocardial tissue damage, w as investigated in 32 consecutive multiply injured patients. cTnT, cre atine kinase (CK) and CK isoenzyme MB (CK-MB) mass concentrations were measured immediately after admission, 12 and 24h later and daily ther eafter for 4 days. We found a moderate increase in cTnT in 22 patients (72 per cent; peaks: 0.6-5.1 mu g/l). In only four of these 22 patien ts did the CK-MB mass/CK index indicate myocardial injury. ST-T altera tions and arrhythmias did not occur significantly more frequently in p atients with increased cTnT plasma concentrations or positive CK-MB ma ss/CK index. We found a moderate increase in cTnT in 72 per rent of ai l patients with multiple injuries, but we found no association between an increase in cTnT and the occurrence of electrocardiographic change s and arrhythmias.