@article {Vamadevan401, author = {Padman R. Vamadevan and Andrew W. Hitchings and Tejwant S. Grewal and Dana Ahnood and Emma H. Baker}, title = {Any detectable admission cardiac troponin I level is associated with increased risk of early death following COPD exacerbations}, volume = {38}, number = {Suppl 55}, elocation-id = {401}, year = {2011}, publisher = {European Respiratory Society}, abstract = {Background: Elevated cardiac troponin I (cTnI) levels during COPD exacerbations predict long-term mortality (COPD 2009;6:155-61). The times at which these deaths occur is unknown. We used a time-to-event approach to further characterise the prognostic significance of this biomarker.Methods: 237 COPD patients (127 male, 73{\textpm}11yrs) admitted with exacerbations between July 2008-9, and with a measured cTnI within 24h of admission were retrospectively identified. Clinical information was retrieved from the electronic patient record.Results: Admission cTnI was {\textquotedblleft}undetectable{\textquotedblright} (U, \<0.02μg/L) in 15\%, {\textquotedblleft}measurable{\textquotedblright} (M, 0.02-0.05μg/L) in 59\% and {\textquotedblleft}elevated{\textquotedblright} (E, \>0.05μg/L) in 26\% of patients. The table shows mortality at various timepoints.View this table:Figure 1 illustrates survival post-admission by initial cTnI level.Figure 1On Cox regression, cTnI level predicted survival (p=0.003) independently of inflammatory markers, haemoglobin, creatinine or cancer.Conclusions: Any detectable cTnI is independently associated with increased post-exacerbation mortality, with increasing risk at higher concentrations. Excess deaths in patients with detectable cTnI occur in the first 30 days post-admission. Elucidating underlying mechanisms of cTnI rise may identify new opportunities to improve outcomes following COPD exacerbations.}, issn = {0903-1936}, URL = {https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/401}, eprint = {https://erj.ersjournals.com/content}, journal = {European Respiratory Journal} }