High serum cardiac troponin T concentrations in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome

In preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), cardiac functi on is negatively influenced by the severity of the lungs disease. On day 2 of life, cardiac troponin T (cTnT), biochemical marker of myocardial injury , was measured in 46 preterm infants (gestational age less than or equal to 32 wk), 26 with RDS and 20 without: median (range) 0.38 (0.02-1.57) mu g/L vs 0.13 (0.02-0.85) mu g/L, respectively. Conclusion: High cTnT concentrations in preterm infants with RDS suggest th e presence of myocardial damage in this group of high-risk patients.