The role and efficacy of routine high-sensitivity troponin T screening in paediatric COVID-19

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and role of high-sensitivity troponin T in children with a confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and also the correlation of troponin T levels with symptoms, and echocardiographic findings were analysed. Methods: Two hundred and fourteen patients with a confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection between the dates of 28 March and 15 August 12020 were enrolled in this retrospective single-centre study. Patients with comorbidities and diagnosed as multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children were excluded. Demographic data, clinical and laboratory parameters were evaluated. The patients were classified and compared according to the troponin positivity. The correlation of troponin T with symptoms and echocardiographic findings was analysed. Results: The most common symptoms in the whole study group were fever (53.3%) and cough (24.8%). Troponin T levels were elevated in 15 (7%) patients. The most common symptom in patients with troponin positivity was also fever (73.3%). Troponin T positivity was significantly higher in patients under the age of 12 months and troponin T levels were negatively correlated with age. C-reactive protein levels were elevated in 77 (36%) of the patients in the whole group and 7 (46.7%) of 15 patients with troponin positivity. C-reactive protein levels were similar between groups. Conclusion: Routine troponin screening does not yield much information in previously healthy paediatric COVID-19 patients without any sign of myocardial dysfunction. Elevated troponin levels may be observed but it is mostly a sign of myocardial injury without detectable myocardial dysfunction in this group of patients.

Growth Differentiation Factor‐15 Predicts Death and Stroke Event in Outpatients With Cardiovascular Risk Factors: The J‐HOP Study

Background Growth differentiation factor‐15 (GDF‐15) has emerged as a novel biomarker to predict all‐cause death in community‐dwelling individuals and patients with cardiovascular disease. We evaluated the prognostic value of GDF‐15 in outpatients with cardiovascular risk factors. Methods and Results GDF‐15 levels were measured in 3562 outpatients with cardiovascular risk factors in the J‐HOP (Japan Morning Surge‐Home Blood Pressure) study, a nationwide prospective study. Participants were stratified according to tertiles of GDF‐15 and followed up for all‐cause death and cardiovascular disease. During a mean follow‐up period of 6.6 years, there were 155 all‐cause deaths, 81 stroke events including cerebral infarction and intracranial hemorrhage, and 141 cardiac events including cardiac artery disease and heart failure. Patients with higher GDF‐15 levels were associated with risks of all‐cause death and stroke events (except for cardiac events) after adjustment for traditional risk factors and other prognostic biomarkers (NT‐proBNP [N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide], high‐sensitivity troponin T; all‐cause death, hazard ratio, 2.38; 95% CI, 1.26–4.48; P =0.007; stroke events, hazard ratio, 2.93; 95% CI, 1.31–6.56, P =0.009; compared with the lowest tertile). Furthermore, incorporating GDF‐15 to the predictive models for all‐cause death improved discrimination and reclassification significantly. For stroke events, GDF‐15 showed similar diagnostic accuracy to NT‐proBNP and high‐sensitivity troponin T. Conclusions In Japanese outpatients with cardiovascular risk factors, GDF‐15 improves risk stratification for all‐cause death when compared with NT‐proBNP and high‐sensitivity troponin T. GDF‐15 was associated with increased risks of stroke events beyond conventional risk factors and other prognostic markers; however, the predictive ability for stroke events was equivalent to NT‐proBNP and high‐sensitivity troponin T. Registration URL: http://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr .; Unique identifier: UMIN000000894.

41 Circulating levels and prognostic cut-offs of sST2, high-sensitivity troponin T, and NT-proBNP in women vs. men with chronic heart failure

Aims Limited evidence exists on sex-related differences in clinical value of biomarkers in chronic heart failure (HF). We aimed to define plasma levels, determinants, and optimal prognostic cut-offs of soluble suppression of tumourigenesis-2 (sST2), high-sensitivity troponin T (hs-TnT), and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in female and male chronic HF patients. Methods and results Individual data of patients from the BIOS (Biomarkers In Heart Failure Outpatient Study) Consortium with sST2, hs-TnT, and NT-proBNP measured were analysed. The primary endpoint was a composite of 1-year cardiovascular death and HF hospitalization. The secondary endpoints were 5-year cardiovascular and all-cause death. The cohort included 4540 patients (age: 67 ± 12 years, LVEF 33 ± 13%, 1111 women, 25%). Women showed lower sST2 (24 vs. 27 ng/ml, P < 0.001) and hs-TnT level (15 vs. 20 ng/l, P < 0.001), and similar concentrations of NT-proBNP (1540 vs. 1505 ng/l, P = 0.408). Although the three biomarkers were confirmed as independent predictors of outcome in both sexes, the optimal prognostic cut-off was lower in women for sST2 (28 vs. 31 ng/ml) and hs-TnT (22 vs. 25 ng/l), while NT-proBNP cut-off was higher in women (2339 ng/l vs. 2145 ng/l). The use of sex-specific cut-offs improved risk prediction compared to the use of previously standardized prognostic cut-offs (Figure). Conclusions In patients with chronic HF, levels of sST2 and hs-TnT, but not of NT-proBNP are lower in women. Lower sST2 and hs-TnT and higher NT-proBNP cut-offs for risk stratification could be used in women.