CLINICAL IMPACT OF ELEVATED HIGH-SENSITIVITY TROPONIN I LEVELS IN COVID-19 HOSPITALIZATIONS

Abstract

Objective Troponin I (TnI) is a biochemical marker of high specificity and sensitivity in myocardial injuries according to the 99^th percentile values. The elevated serum levels of such proteins were recently described in the infection by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). The study aimed to relate the changes in Troponin I concentrations to the presence of comorbidities, clinical evolution, and prognosis of patients affected and hospitalized for covid-19 attended at a tertiary hospital in Western Paraná State. Material and Methods This is a cross-sectional and retrospective study based on the collection of electronic data from patients hospitalized with covid-19 with alterations in the high-sensitivity troponin I (hsTnI) dosage. The correlation between clinical profiles and disease evolution was carried out through descriptive and statistical analyses. Results Among 718 patients, 366 presented an increase in hsTnI. The patients were predominantly elderly over 65 years old and male. The dosage presented a higher mean for patients who were discharged compared to patients who died (p-value <0.0001). However, the predominant outcome was death (52.19%). Higher troponin I values obtained here are of multifactorial origin and are significantly related to hypertension and kidney disease. The overall mean of hsTnI measured was 1601.55 ng/L. Conclusion Cardiac injury associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection was evidenced through high-sensitivity Troponin I dosage in hospitalized patients with covid-19 who died.