Macrotroponin I was present in 75% of healthy individuals with high-normal troponin levels, showing no significant variation by age (p=0.26) or sex (p>0.5).
Cross-Sectional (n=118)
Does the frequency of macrotroponin I vary by age or sex in a healthy population with high-normal troponin levels?
Macrotroponin I is highly prevalent in healthy individuals with high-normal troponin levels, regardless of age or sex, which may impact the clinical interpretation of elevated troponin.
Absolute Event Rate: 80% vs 77%
p-value: p=>0.5
Abstract Background/Introduction Macrotroponin refers to high-molecular-weight troponin complexes bound to immunoglobulins, shown to cause persistently elevated troponin values often unrelated to myocardial injury. We hypothesized that its frequency might increase with age and differ between men and women, reflecting potential age-related cardiac changes and sex-specific risk profiles. Purpose To assess whether macrotroponin frequency varies across age groups and by sex within the upper sex-specific 90th percentile of troponin values in a healthy Danish reference population. Methods Among 1,307 participant samples with normal-range NT-proBNP, HbA1c, and eGFR ≥90 mL/min/1.73m2, 147 samples with troponin I within the upper levels of the sex-specific 90th percentile for the Siemens Atellica assay were further tested for macrotroponin I using Protein A/G immunoglobulin depletion and sucrose gradient ultracentrifugation. Samples were only deemed macrotroponin-positive by concordantly positive results. After excluding 29 samples with low troponin values due to analytical dilution constraints, 118 participants remained. Macrotroponin I frequency was compared across three age groups (40, 40–60, and 60 years) and between sexes. Logistic regression was used to adjust for creatinine levels. Results Of 118 samples tested (48% females), macrotroponin I was present in 88 (75%), with similar frequencies in women (80%) and men (77%). Macrotroponin I frequency did not differ significantly across age groups (p=0.26) or between sexes (p0.5) (Table 1, Figure 1). Logistic regression revealed no significant associations between macrotroponin I and age group, sex, or creatinine levels (all p 0.5). Conclusion Macrotroponin I was highly frequent in the highest troponin ranges in a healthy reference population and showed no relationship with age or sex. The presence of macrotroponin I may impact clinical management in a considerable number of patients, but further investigation is required in clinical studies.
Strandkjaer et al. (Sat,) conducted a cross-sectional in Healthy reference population (n=118). Female sex vs. Male sex was evaluated on Macrotroponin I frequency (p=>0.5). Macrotroponin I was present in 75% of healthy individuals with high-normal troponin levels, showing no significant variation by age (p=0.26) or sex (p>0.5).