Troponin T: role in altering patient management and enabling earlier discharge from a district general hospital

The use of troponin T to facilitate early patient discharge was investigate d in a prospective study in a district general hospital. Troponin T was mea sured in 91 patients admitted over a period of 6 months with chest pain but without evidence of myocardial infarction. The main outcome measure was le ngth of hospital stay. A negative troponin T was found in 70 patients. Fift y of these were discharged within 24h of the troponin result being availabl e and they had a significantly shorter hospital stay than a case control gr oup and a historical control group from the previous 6 months. Troponin T m easurement has a role in altering patient management by enabling early disc harge, resulting in significant cost savings and increasing bed availabilit y.