High‐Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin T in Stable Patients Undergoing Pharmacological Stress Testing

BACKGROUND: Acute changes in high-sensitivity troponin T (hs-TnT) are induced by myocardial ischemia during exercise stress testing, but there are no reports of pharmacological stress testing. HYPOTHESIS: The pattern of troponin release by myocardial ischemia-induced pharmacological stress testing differs according to the ischemic burden in stable patients. METHODS: In total, 250 patients with suspected coronary artery disease underwent pharmacological stress magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The amount and degree of myocardial ischemia on MRI and ischemic outcomes at 6 months were determined. hs-TnT levels were measured at baseline and 1 and 3 hours after testing. The 6-month clinical outcome was prespecified. RESULTS: Fifty-one patients had moderate to severe myocardial ischemia (group A), and 199 patients had no or mild myocardial ischemia (group B). hs-TnT levels were significantly higher in group A than B at baseline (11 vs 8 pg/mL, P = 0.016) and at 1 hour (12 vs 8 pg/mL, P = 0.009) and 3 hours after testing (12 vs 9 pg/mL, P = 0.012). Baseline hs-TnT levels of ≥14 pg/mL showed a 43% sensitivity and 77% specificity in predicting moderate to severe ischemia by MRI (P = 0.03; area under the curve: 0.608, P = 0.017). Patients administered dobutamine had a higher acute change in hs-TnT levels 3 hours after testing than did those administered adenosine (21 vs 0 pg/mL, P < 0.001). There was a trend toward a higher incidence of myocardial infarction in patients with baseline hs-TnT levels of ≥14 pg/mL. CONCLUSIONS: hs-TnT levels are significantly higher in patients with moderate to severe than no or mild myocardial ischemia.