Monitoring of cardiac troponin I in patients with acute heart failure

Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and creatine kinase MB isoenzyme (CK-MB) were mea sured in the plasma of 37 patients with acute heart failure. Elevated plasm a cTnI concentrations were found in 89% of acute heart failure patients (P < 0.001 compared with a normal population), while plasma CK-MB showed no si gnificant difference (P=0.09). During follow-up, serial measurements of cTn I and CK-MB were performed. In acute heart failure patients, improvement of the clinical profile was associated with declining cTnI concentrations, wh ile deterioration of heart function was closely related to increasing cTnI. Plasma CK-MB activities remained within the normal range throughout the ob servation period. This preliminary study provides evidence of cardiac damag e to functionally overloaded myocytes. cTnI may be a sensitive marker both for early detection of myocyte damage and for monitoring of function in pat ients with acute heart failure.