Cardiovascular Outcomes Among Patients with Acute Coronary Syndromes and Diabetes: Results from ACS QUIK Trial in India.

Background: Despite cardiovascular disease being the leading cause of death in India, limited data exist regarding the factors associated with outcomes in patients with diabetes who suffer acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Methods: We examined 21,374 patients with AMI enrolled in the ACS QUIK trial. We compared in-hospital and 30-day major adverse cardiac events including death, re-infarction, stroke, or major bleeding in those with and without diabetes. The associations between diabetes and cardiac outcomes were adjusted for presentation and in-hospital management using logistic regression. Results: Mean ± SD age was 60.1 ± 12.0 years, 24.3% were females, and 44.4% had diabetes. Those with diabetes were more likely to be older, female, hypertensive, and have higher Killip class but less likely to present with STEMI. Patients with diabetes had longer symptoms onset-to-arrival (median 225 vs 290 min; P < 0.001) and, in case of STEMI, longer door-to-balloon times (median, 75 vs 91 min; P < 0.001). Diabetes was independently associated with higher in-hospital death (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.46; 95% CI, 1.12-1.89), in-hospital reinfarction (aOR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.15-2.02), 30-day MACE (aOR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.14-1.55) and 30-day death (aOR, 1.40; 95%CI, 1.16-1.69) but not 30-day stroke or 30-day major bleeding. Conclusion: Among patients presenting with AMI in Kerala, India, a considerable proportion has diabetes and are at increased risk for in-hospital and 30-day adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Increased awareness of the increased cardiovascular risk and attention to the implementation of established cardiovascular therapies are indicated for patients with diabetes in lower-middle-income countries who develop AMI. Clinical Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Unique identifier: NCT02256658.

Using rapid response system trigger clusters to characterize patterns of clinical deterioration among hospitalized adult patients.

BACKGROUND: Many rapid response system (RRS) events are activated using multiple triggers. However, the patterns in which multiple RRS triggers occur together to activate RRS events are unknown. The purpose of this study was to identify these patterns (RRS trigger clusters) and determine their association with outcomes among hospitalized adult patients. METHODS: RRS events among adult patients from January 2015 to December 2019 in the Get With The Guidelines- Resuscitation registry's MET module were examined (n = 134,406). Cluster analysis methods were performed to identify RRS trigger clusters. Pearson's chi-squared and ANOVA tests were used to examine differences in patient characteristics across RRS trigger clusters. Multilevel logistic regressions were used to examine the associations between RRS trigger clusters and outcomes. RESULTS: Six RRS trigger clusters were identified. Predominant RRS triggers for each cluster were: tachypnea, new onset difficulty in breathing, decreased oxygen saturation (Cluster 1); tachypnea, decreased oxygen saturation, staff concern (Cluster 2); respiratory depression, decreased oxygen saturation, mental status changes (Cluster 3); tachycardia, staff concern (Cluster 4); mental status changes (Cluster 5); hypotension, staff concern (Cluster 6). Significant differences in patient characteristics were observed across clusters. Patients in Clusters 3 and 6 had an increased likelihood of in-hospital cardiac arrest (p < 0.01). All clusters had an increased risk of mortality (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: We discovered six novel RRS trigger clusters with differing relationships to adverse patient outcomes. RRS trigger clusters may prove crucial in clarifying the associations between RRS events and adverse outcomes and aiding in clinician decision-making during RRS events.

School children sufficiently apply life supporting first aid: a prospective investigation.

INTRODUCTION: The usefulness of CPR training in schools has been questioned because young students may not have the physical and cognitive skills needed to correctly perform such complex tasks correctly. METHODS: In pupils, who received six hours of CPR training from their teachers during a standard school semester at four months post training the following outcome parameters were assessed: CPR effectiveness, AED deployment, accuracy in checking vital signs, correctness of recovery position, and whether the ambulance service was effectively notified. Possible correlations of age, gender, body mass index (BMI), and outcome parameters were calculated. RESULTS: Of 147 students (mean age 13 +/- 2 years), 86% performed CPR correctly. Median depth of chest compressions was 35 mm (inter quartile range (IQR) 31 to 41), and the median number of compressions per minute was 129 bpm (IQR 108 to 143). Sixty nine percent of the students tilted the mannequin head sufficiently for mouth to mouth resuscitation, and the median air volume delivered was 540 ml (IQR 0 to 750). Scores on other life supporting techniques were at least 80% or higher. Depth of chest compressions showed a correlation with BMI (r = 0.35; P < 0.0001), body weight (r = 0.38; P < 0.0001), and body height (r = 0.31; P = 0.0002) but not with age. All other outcomes were found to be unrelated to gender, age, or BMI. CONCLUSIONS: Students as young as 9 years are able to successfully and effectively learn basic life support skills including AED deployment, correct recovery position and emergency calling. As in adults, physical strength may limit depth of chest compressions and ventilation volumes but skill retention is good.

Safe and effective intravenous thrombolysis for acute ischemic stroke caused by left atrial myxoma.

Atrial myxoma may be associated with syncope or sudden death attributed to left-sided cardiac outflow obstruction or embolization caused by tumor dislodgement or thrombus formation. Definitive treatment for primary and secondary stroke prevention is surgical resection. The role of thrombolysis in acute brain ischemia in patients with atrial myxoma is not defined. There are few data available regarding safety and efficacy of thrombolytic therapy in acute ischemic strokes caused by atrial myxoma. Prior case reports described partial success using intra-arterial local thrombolysis; however, this is invasive and can be associated with significant complications. A previously reported case of systemic thrombolysis resulted in development of cerebral hemorrhage. We describe a young man who presented with syncope and a dense stroke developing as a complication of atrial myxoma, followed by a remarkable recovery after treatment with intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator and urgent cardiac surgery. Contrary to some expert opinion, systemic thrombolytic therapy may be safely and effectively used to treat acute ischemic strokes from atrial myxoma.

Trends in presenting characteristics and hospital mortality among patients with ST elevation and non-ST elevation myocardial infarction in the National Registry of Myocardial Infarction from 1990 to 2006.

BACKGROUND: Although ST elevation (STEMI) and non-ST elevation (NSTEMI) myocardial infarction (AMI) have been the focus of intense clinical investigation, limited information exists on characteristics and hospital mortality of patients not enrolled in clinical trials. Previous large databases have reported declining mortality of patients with STEMI but have not noted substantial mortality change among those with NSTEMI. METHODS: The National Registry of Myocardial Infarction enrolled 2,515,106 patients at 2,157 US hospitals from 1990 to 2006. Of these, we evaluated 1,950,561 with diagnoses reflecting acute myocardial ischemia on admission. RESULTS: From 1990 to 2006, the proportion of NSTEMI increased from 14.2% to 59.1% (P < .0001), whereas the proportion of STEMI decreased. Mean age increased (from 64.1 to 66.4 years, P < .0001) as did the proportion of females (from 32.4% to 37.0%, P < .0001). Patients were less likely to report prior angina, prior AMI, or family history of coronary artery disease but more likely to report history of diabetes, hypertension, current smoking, heart failure, prior revascularization, stroke, and hyperlipidemia. From 1994 to 2006, hospital mortality fell among all patients (10.4% to 6.3%), STEMI (11.5% to 8.0%), and NSTEMI (7.1% to 5.2%), (all P < .0001). After adjustment for baseline covariates, hospital mortality fell among all patients by 23.6% (odds ratio [OR] 0.764, 95% CI 0.744-0.785), STEMI by 24.2% (OR 0.758, 0.732-0.784), and NSTEMI by 22.6% (OR 0.774, 0.741-0.809), all P < .001. CONCLUSIONS: This large, observational database from 1990 to 2006 shows increasing prevalence of NSTEMI and, despite higher risk profile on presentation, falling risk-adjusted hospital mortality in patients with either STEMI or NSTEMI.

Palliative care utilization following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the United States.

AIMS: Palliative care (PC) has become an integral component of comprehensive care provided to critically ill patients. Little is known about the utilization of palliative care following Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA) in the United States. METHODS: We used the 2002-2013 National Inpatient Sample database to identify adults ≥18 years old with an ICD-9-CM principal diagnosis code of cardio-respiratory arrest or ventricular fibrillation (VF). Patients were categorized into two groups based on the presence of PC, then compared using Pearson χ2 test for categorical variables and linear regression for continuous variables. Multiple linear and logistic regression models were conducted to identify factors associated with PC, and temporal trends in PC utilization. RESULTS: Of the 154,177 patients hospitalized with OHCA in the U.S, 11,260 (7.3%) had PC consultations during hospitalization. PC Utilization increased from 1.5% in 2002 to 16.7% in 2013 (P-trend < 0.001). Patients who received Palliative care were older (mean age 70.7 ±â€¯0.3 vs 65.9 ±â€¯0.1), more likely to be female (45.8% vs 40.5%), and had higher Charlson comorbidity index ≥2 (55.8% vs 46.8%). In adjusted analyses, older age, female gender, Caucasian race, higher Charlson comorbidity index, multiorgan failure, metastatic cancer, non-shockable rhythm, admission to larger, urban and teaching hospitals were all associated with higher PC utilization. CONCLUSION: We observed significant increase in the utilization of palliative care consultations following OHCA over the study period. This was influenced by multiple patient and hospital factors. Further investigations are needed to identify the appropriate cost-effective use of palliative care following cardiac arrest.

Editor's Choice-The cardiovascular implications of sedatives in the cardiac intensive care unit.

Patients admitted to the cardiac intensive care unit frequently develop multi-organ system dysfunction associated with their cardiac disease. In many cases, invasive mechanical ventilation is required, which often necessitates sedation for patient-ventilator synchrony, reduction of work of breathing, and patient comfort. In this paper, we describe the use of common sedatives available in the endotracheally intubated critically ill patient and emphasize the clinical and cardiovascular effects. We review γ-aminobutyric acid agonists such as etomidate, benzodiazepines, and propofol, the centrally acting α2-agonist dexmedetomidine, and the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist ketamine. Additionally, we outline the use of opioids and their role in potentiating other sedatives. We note that some sedatives are associated with increased delirium rates, and emphasize that judicious strategies minimizing sedative use are associated with decreases in morbidity and mortality. We also discuss standardized sedation assessment scales and highlight the importance of sedation weaning. Finally, we offer recommendations for sedation use during therapeutic hypothermia, and discuss the use of adjuvant neuromuscular blocking agents.

The correlation between intensive care unit attending physician continuity of care with financial and clinical outcomes.

PURPOSE: "Attending rotations" on intensive care unit (ICU) services have been in place in most teaching hospitals for decades. However, the ideal frequency of patient care handoffs is unknown. Frequent attending physician handoffs could result in delays in care and other complications, while too few handoffs can lead to provider burnout and exhaustion. Therefore, we sought to determine the correlation between frequency of attending shifts with ICU charges, 30-day readmission rates, and mortality rates. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study at a large, urban, academic community hospital in Baltimore, MD. We included patients admitted into the cardiac or medical ICUs between September 1, 2012, and December 10, 2015. We tracked the number of attending shifts for each patient and correlated shifts with financial outcomes as a primary measure. RESULTS: For any given ICU length of stay, we found no distinct association between handoff frequency and charges, 30-day readmission rates, or mortality rates. CONCLUSIONS: Despite frequent handoffs in care, there was no objective evidence of care compromise or differences in cost. Further validation of these observations in a larger cohort is justified.

Survival, expenditure and disposition in patients following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: 1995-2013.

AIMS: To investigate trends in survival to hospital discharge, in-hospital expenditures, and post-acute-care disposition following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in the United States. METHODS: We performed this nationwide serial cross-sectional study using data from the National Inpatient Sample on all patients (age >18years) hospitalized with OHCA between January 1, 1995, and December 31, 2013. Our main outcome measure was survival to hospital discharge. We fitted multivariable regression models with survival, in-hospital expenditures, and post-acute-care disposition as our dependent variables. RESULTS: Of 247,684 patients included in this study, 58.8% were men; mean age was 67 years. Overall trend of survival to discharge was unchanged (Ptrend=0.56) but a non-significant linear trend increase (49.9% [95% CI, 39.8%-60.0%] in 1995 to 54.0% [95% CI 46.3%-61.8%] in 2013) was noted. Survival improved for patients with VF arrest rhythm but not for those with non-VF arrest rhythm. Increasing age, female gender, non-Caucasian race, high comorbidity burden, non-private primary insurance, non-VF-arrest rhythm and weekend arrest were all negatively associated with neurologically-intact survival. The cost of hospitalization increased from $18,287 ($683) in 2001 to $21,092 ($514) in 2013 at an average annual rate of $261 (Ptrend<0.001). No change in post-acute discharge disposition was observed except for transfer to a short-term hospital (Ptrend<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Overall survival to discharge following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest remained static between 1995 and 2013. Renewed national efforts are needed to warrant better knowledge translation and wider implementation of the best available science in order to improve outcomes.

Incidence and Prognostic Impact of Respiratory Support in Patients With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Data addressing the use of respiratory support in acute coronary syndromes are lacking. To address this evidence gap, we characterized prognostic impact and trends in utilization of invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) and noninvasive ventilation (NIV) in patients hospitalized with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) from 2002 through 2013 using the National Inpatient Sample. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify patient, hospital, and clinical characteristics associated with requiring IMV or NIV within 24 hours of hospitalization. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression was used to quantify the magnitude of in-hospital mortality associated with IMV and NIV use. From 2002 to 2013, we identified 1,867,114 patients with STEMI. Age, gender, higher co-morbidity burden, and chronic pulmonary disease were significantly associated with need for respiratory support. The use of IMV and NIV increased at average annual rates of 6.6% and 14.3%, respectively (ptrend <0.001). Age- and gender-adjusted mortality rates are high but declined for patients with STEMI requiring IMV (44.7% in 2002 to 37.6% in 2013, ptrend = 0.002) and NIV (11.6% in 2002 to 6.8% in 2013, ptrend <0.001). Compared to patients with STEMI with no ventilation need, a requirement for IMV or NIV was associated with increased adjusted in-hospital mortality (hazard ratio 2.5, p <0.001 and 1.7, p <0.001, respectively). In conclusion, approximately 1 in 23 patients hospitalized with STEMI will require respiratory support in the form of IMV or NIV. Patients with STEMI who require respiratory support have a high risk of death, although rates of in-hospital mortality have decreased over time.

Regional Variation in Outcomes of Hospitalized Patients Having Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest.

The aim of this study was to investigate patient outcomes after hospitalization for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the United States. We used the 2002 to 2013 Nationwide Inpatient Sample database to identify adults ≥18 years with an International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification, principal diagnosis code of cardiorespiratory arrest (427.5) or ventricular fibrillation (VF) (427.41). In 4 predefined federal geographic regions: Northeast, Midwest, South, and West, means and proportions of survival, survival stratified by initial rhythm, hospital charges, and cost were estimated. Multiple linear and logistic regression models were conducted. Of the 154,177 patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest hospitalized in the United States, 25,873 (16.8%) were in the Northeast, 38,296 (24.8%) in the Midwest, 57,305 (37.2%) in the South, and 32,703 (21.2%) in the West. Variability in survival was noted in VF arrests; compared with the Northeast, survival was higher in the Midwest and South (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.16, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02 to 1.32 and AOR 1.24, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.40, respectively), with no difference detected in the West (AOR 0.93, 95% CI 0.82 to 1.06). No variability in survival was noted after non-VF arrests (p >0.05). Hospital charges rose significantly across all regions of the United States (p-trend < 0.001) and were higher in the West compared with the Northeast (hospital charges >$109,000/admission, AOR 1.76; 95% CI 1.50 to 2.06). In conclusion, nationwide, we observed significant regional variability in survival of hospitalized patients after out of hospital VF cardiac arrest, no survival variability after non-VF arrests, and a steady increase in hospital charges.

Female sex: a protective role in suspected myocardial ischemia.

OBJECTIVE: Women are felt to have poor outcomes in coronary artery disease, largely on the basis of secondary observations in acute coronary syndrome trials. We sought to examine the neglected topic of sex differences in workup and outcomes in the general population presenting with chest pain. METHODS: We examined 439 consecutive patients admitted via the emergency department with ongoing chest pain. Cardiac testing was defined as any cardiac catheterization or stress test. Positive testing was defined as a 70% or greater stenosis in an epicardial coronary artery on catheterization, or a positive stress test result. Follow-up was obtained via telephone contact at 4 months following discharge. RESULTS: Further cardiac testing was deemed necessary in 68% (164/241) of women and 77% (153/198) of men (P=0.038). Among women undergoing further testing, only 21% (35/164) had positive tests, whereas 41% (62/153) of men had positive tests (P=0.002). At 4 months, women were less likely to have suffered the combined endpoint of subsequent myocardial infarction, revascularization, or death, than men (15 vs. 23%, P=0.027). Events were more likely to occur in patients who had further testing, and especially in those who had positive testing. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that women admitted with chest pain are less likely to have active coronary artery disease, and much less likely to have poor outcomes at 4 months than men. This apparent 'gender protection' effect warrants further study.

Insufficient treatment of hypercholesterolemia among patients hospitalized with chest pain.

BACKGROUND: Although morbidity and mortality from coronary artery disease can be improved with a variety of pharmacologic interventions, many patients remain undertreated. HYPOTHESIS: This study sought to assess whether hospitalization for possible coronary artery disease would prompt initiation of appropriate lipid-lowering therapy. METHODS: This prospective, observational study was conducted on consecutive patients with active chest pain admitted to the Emergency Department of the hospital for suspected myocardial ischemia. Elevated cholesterol, defined as low-density lipoprotein (LDL), was >100 mg/dl with a prior history or a new diagnosis of coronary artery disease, or an LDL >130 mg/dl without known coronary artery disease. Data were recorded at the time of admission, discharge, and at 4-month follow-up. RESULTS: Of the patients with hyperlipidemia, 65% men and 55% women were on medication at the time of admission (p = 0.30), while at discharge, 79% men and 60% women were on treatment (p = 0.002), with similar rates of treatment at 4-month follow-up (p = 0.030). At discharge, two variables were independently associated with patients receiving lipid-lowering therapy: age > or =65 years (odds ratio = 2.3; 95% confidence interval 1.2-4.5) and male gender (2.7; 15-5.0). CONCLUSIONS: In patients hospitalized with chest pain, particularly in women, the initiation of treatment of hyperlipidemia frequently does not happen. This oversight represents a lost opportunity for making an impact on the health of this population.

Awakening following cardiac arrest: Determined by the definitions used or the therapies delivered?

AIMS: To investigate patterns of neurologic "awakening" in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients using different criteria for prognostication post-arrest. METHODS: Data was collected on 194 OHCA survivors to hospital admission. Patients were assigned to one of two groups based on whether they received therapeutic hypothermia (TH). Three separate criteria were used to assess neurologic "awakening": motor-GCS=6, total-GCS ≥ 9, and CPC=1 or 2. Demographics, arrest characteristics and intensive care events were compared using unpaired t-test, Chi-square or nonparametric Wilcoxon rank-sum test as appropriate. Primary outcome was the time from arrest to neurologic awakening. RESULTS: Of 194 OHCA survivors, TH was implemented in 94 patients (48%). Compared to conventional care patients, hypothermia treated patients were more likely to be younger (58 vs. 69 years, p<0.01),), and have a shockable arrest rhythm (27% vs. 10%, p<0.01). Using the three criteria (m-GCS=6, t-GCS ≥ 9 & CPC=1 or 2), median time to awakening for patients in the hypothermia group versus the conventional therapy group were 6 [4,9] vs. 3 [2,5] days, 3 [3,5] vs. 2 [2,3] days, and 3 [3,6] vs. 2 [2,4] days respectively (all p<0.01) and prognostication using these criteria on day 3 yielded discordant results about which patients achieved awakening. CONCLUSIONS: Patients undergoing therapeutic hypothermia achieve meaningful neurologic "awakening" beyond 72 h post-arrest. Use of different criteria for the assessment of neurologic "awakening" can yield different prognostication predictions which calls for standardization and validation of a single definition of "awakening" by the resuscitation community.

The association between post resuscitation hemoglobin level and survival with good neurological outcome following Out Of Hospital cardiac arrest.

AIMS: to explore the association between post return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) hemoglobin level and survival with good neurological outcome following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. METHODS: We studied adults with non-traumatic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest who achieved ROSC within 50min of collapse. We quantified the association between post ROSC hemoglobin level and good neurological outcome (defined as Cerebral Performance Category score of 1or 2), using multivariate logistic regression analyses. The impact of Post ROSC hemoglobin level ≥10gdl(-1) and time varying hemoglobin level ≥10gdl(-1) on time to Survival with good outcome was assessed using Cox proportional hazard models. RESULTS: Of 931 cardiac arrest patients, 146 (16%) achieved ROSC and 30 survived to discharge with a good neurological outcome. Of those with post ROSC hemoglobin level ≥10gdl(-1), 28% (27/98) had good outcome, whereas of those with level <10mgdl(-1) only 6% (3/48) had good outcome (CPC<3, P=0.003). The use of blood transfusions and therapeutic hypothermia were comparable in both good and bad outcome groups. An immediate post ROSC hemoglobin level ≥10gdl(-1) was significantly associated with good neurological outcome (AOR 8.31 95% CI 1.89-36.52 P=0.005). Patients with post ROSC hemoglobin ≥10gdl(-1) were more likely to achieve good outcome earlier (HR 6.02 95% CI 1.75-20.72 P=0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Post ROSC hemoglobin level ≥10gdl(-1) is associated with survival with good neurological outcome. The importance of time to achieve such level and the role of blood transfusion warrants further investigation.

Chest pain relief by nitroglycerin does not predict active coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND: The belief that chest pain relief with nitroglycerin indicates the presence of active coronary artery disease is common. However, this hypothesis has not been tested. OBJECTIVE: To define the diagnostic and prognostic value of chest pain relief with nitroglycerin. DESIGN: Prospective observational cohort study. SETTING: Urban community teaching hospital. PATIENTS: 459 consecutive patients with chest pain admitted through the emergency department who received nitroglycerin from emergency services personnel or an emergency department nurse. Follow-up was obtained by telephone contact at 4 months. MEASUREMENTS: Chest pain relief was defined as a decrease of at least 50% in patients' self-reported pain within 5 minutes of the initial dose of sublingual or spray nitroglycerin. Active coronary artery disease was defined as any elevated serum enzyme levels, coronary angiography demonstrating a 70% or greater stenosis, or a positive exercise test result. RESULTS: Nitroglycerin relieved chest pain in 39% of patients (181 of 459). In patients with active coronary artery disease as the likely cause of their chest pain, 35% (49 of 141) had chest pain relief with nitroglycerin. In contrast, in patients without active coronary artery disease, 41% (113 of 275) had chest pain relief (P > 0.2). Four-month clinical outcomes were similar in patients with or without chest pain relief with nitroglycerin (P > 0.2). CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that, in a general population admitted for chest pain, relief of pain after nitroglycerin treatment does not predict active coronary artery disease and should not be used to guide diagnosis.

Prognostic usefulness of marginal troponin T elevation.

Marginal elevations of troponin T among patients with chest pain are often considered to be insignificant. We sought to define the prognostic value of marginal troponin T elevations in patients presenting to the emergency department with suspected myocardial ischemia. Four hundred twenty-eight consecutive patients presenting to the emergency department with ongoing chest pain were evaluated, followed through their hospital course, and contacted for follow-up 4 months after discharge. Two hundred ninety-nine patients had undetectable troponin T levels (<0.01 microg/L), 76 had marginal troponin T elevations (0.01 to 0.09 microg/L), and 53 had frank troponin T elevations (> or =0.1 microg/L). Patients with either marginally or frank elevated troponin levels were older and more likely to be men, but did not differ from patients with undetectable troponin levels with regard to the prevalence of coronary artery disease risk factors, history of coronary disease, or race. While in the hospital, the undetectable and marginal troponin groups were referred for cardiac testing in equal proportions (58% and 59%, respectively), whereas 87% of the elevated group underwent further testing. After adjustment for possible confounders, a significantly increased rate of death/myocardial infarction/revascularization was observed in the marginal troponin group compared with the undetectable troponin group (p = 0.004). Marginal elevations of troponin T identified a currently underevaluated high-risk subgroup of patients with suspected myocardial ischemia who are more likely to have adverse clinical outcomes than those with undetectable troponin levels.