TROPONIN-T, A PREDICTOR OF DEATH IN CHRONIC-HEMODIALYSIS PATIENTS

Of the 10 chronic haemodialysis patients whose serum TnT levels exceed ed the threshold value of 0.1 yg. L-1 at entry into the study, four we re dead at 1 year and three others had a diagnosis of CAD. Of the 20 c hronic haemodialysis patients with normal serum TnT levels at entry, o ne died and none had CAD. All five deaths were cardiac related, either arising from acute myocardial infarction or by sudden death. When ser um TnT levels were compared with accepted predictors of death in chron ic haemodialysis patients, such as serum creatinine, serum albumin and haematocrit, in the present study serum TnT proved to be more accurat e and had excellent sensitivity and specificity. Serum TnT was also su perior to serum TnI, which proved to be no more discriminating than th e non-specific muscle marker, aldolase.