High-sensitivity troponin T as a marker of myocardial injury after radiofrequency catheter ablation

BACKGROUND: The aim of our study was to monitor radiofrequency catheter ablation-induced myocardial damage by measuring high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT). METHODS: Serum concentrations of hs-cTnT (Elecsys 2010 system, Roche) were measured in 73 healthy blood donors and serially in 27 patients who had samples taken both before and 24 h after radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for atrioventricular nodal re-entry tachycardia (AVNRT), atrial fibrillation (AF) or right atrial flutter (AFL). RESULTS: Significant increases of hs-cTnT were seen in patients after RFA (AVNRT: P = 0.0115, AF: P = 0.0011, AFL: P = 0.0009). Postprocedural serum hs-cTnT correlated with the number of radiofrequency applications and with the duration of RFA procedure. Spearman's coefficient of rank correlation (r) were as follows: hs-cTnT versus RFA duration: r = 0.771 (P < 0.001); hs-cTnT versus number of pulses: r = 0.708 (P < 0.001). Patients with the diagnosis of AVNRT had lower serum hs-cTnT concentration after RFA compared with AFL (P < 0.0001) and AF (P < 0.0001) patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that RFA causes a significant increase of serum hs-cTnT concentration that could be used to monitor myocardial injury.