Cardiac troponin T is raised in severe pulmonary embolism

Case reports and small series show that concentrations of cardiac troponin T are sometimes raised in patients with acute pulmonary embolism, probably indicating right ventricular strain. In a retrospective cohort study of 106 patients with acute pulmonary embolism, Janata and colleagues (p 312) found that cardiac troponin T concentrations were associated with increased clinical severity, electrocardiographic and echocardiographic signs of right ventricular strain, and higher mortality in hospital. Measurement of cardiac troponin T may be useful in medical decision makingfor example, about whether to administer thrombolytic treatment.

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Relevant Article

Cardiac troponin T in the severity assessment of patients with pulmonary embolism: cohort study

Karin Janata, Michael Holzer, Anton N Laggner, and Marcus Müllner
BMJ 2003 326: 312-313. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]