Outcomes in patients with chest pain in emergency departments using high-sensitivity versus conventional troponins.

Objectives. There is a paucity of data regarding the association between the use of high-sensitivity troponin (hs-cTn) compared with conventional troponin (cTn) and outcomes in chest pain patients in emergency departments (EDs). This study examined the impact of hs-cTnT on prognosis in chest pain patients in EDs. Design. In an observational cohort study, we included chest pain patients visiting the EDs of 14 hospitals in Sweden from 2011 to 2016. The study population was retrieved from each hospital, and information on characteristics and outcomes was collected from nationwide registries. Cox regression was used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals (HR, 95% CI) for (1) 1-year all-cause mortality, (2) missed acute coronary syndromes (ACSs), (3) use of coronary angiography, and (4) revascularizations within 30 days. Results. We included 170461 patients with chest pain where 62669 patients were tested with cTn while 107792 patients were tested with hs-cTnT. We found 4149 (4.6%) deaths in the cTn group and 6087 (3.7%) deaths in the hs-cTnT group. Patients in the hs-cTnT group had 9% lower mortality (0.91, 0.87-0.94), and were 14% more likely to undergo coronary angiography (1.14, 1.10-1.17), and 12% more likely to be revascularized (1.12, 1.08-1.17) than patients in the cTn group. Conclusions. Patients with chest pain visiting EDs using hs-cTnT had lower mortality and a higher likelihood of undergoing coronary angiographies and revascularizations than those using cTn. There may be a survival benefit of being tested with hs-cTnT compared with cTn in patients seeking medical attention for chest pain.

High-Sensitivity Troponins and Outcomes After Myocardial Infarction.

BACKGROUND: It remains unknown how the introduction of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) has affected the incidence, prognosis, and use of coronary angiographies and revascularizations in patients with myocardial infarction (MI). OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate how the incidence of MI and prognosis after a first MI was affected by the introduction of hs-cTnT. METHODS: In a cohort study, the authors included all patients with a first MI from the Swedish National Patient Registry from 2009 to 2013. Cox regression was used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for risk of all-cause mortality, reinfarction, coronary angiographies, and revascularizations in patients with MI diagnosed using hs-cTnT compared with those diagnosed using conventional troponins (cTn). RESULTS: During the study period, 47,133 MIs were diagnosed using cTn and 40,746 using hs-cTnT. The rate of MI increased by 5% (95% CI: 0% to 10%) after the introduction of hs-cTnT. During 3.9 ± 2.8 years of follow-up, there were 33,492 deaths, with no difference in the risk of all-cause mortality (adjusted HR: 1.00; 95% CI: 0.97 to 1.02). There were, in total, 15,766 reinfarctions during 3.1 ± 2.3 years of follow-up, with the risk of reinfarction reduced by 11% in patients diagnosed using hs-cTnT (adjusted HR: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.86 to 0.91). The use of coronary angiographies (adjusted HR: 1.16; 95% CI: 1.14 to 1.18) and revascularizations (adjusted HR: 1.13; 95% CI: 1.11 to 1.15) increased in the hs-cTnT group. CONCLUSIONS: In a nationwide cohort study including 87,879 patients with a first MI, the introduction of hs-cTnT was associated with an increased incidence of MI, although with no impact on survival. We also found a reduced risk of reinfarction alongside increased use of coronary angiographies and revascularizations.