Background: Acute ischaemic or haemorrhagic cerebrovascular events may produce myocardial damage. Cardiac troponin I is an indicator of cardiac cell injury with very high sensitivity and specificity.
Material and methods: We measured troponin I in 149 acute stroke patients admitted to the stroke unit of Trondheim University Hospital, Norway, in January to June 1999.
Results: 40 patients (27%) had troponin I values at 0.4 microgram/l or higher, indicating myocardial injury. 10 patients (6.7%) had troponin I values above 2.0 micrograms/l. Similarly, the mean value of CK-MB vas higher in the patients with myocardial injury, and these patients had more often ECG findings suggesting myocardial ischaemia. Patients with myocardial injury had a higher rate of previous TIA and heart failure. ECG showed atrial fibrillation in 13 of 39 patients with myocardial damage. Patients with detectable levels of troponin I had more embolic brain infarctions than thrombotic brain infarctions. Patients with myocardial injury did more often have abnormal values of CRP. 9 of 10 patients with troponin I-values above 2.0 micrograms/l had abnormal CRP values. No differences in glycosylated haemoglobin, cholesterol, heart rate, blood pressure or body temperature were found. Patients with the highest troponin I values had lower systolic blood pressure, and a higher heart rate, but these differences were not statistically significant. Patients with troponin I values above 2.0 micrograms/l had lower functional and neurological scores at admittance. Patients with myocardial injury were more often discharged to nursing homes.
Interpretation: Many patients with an acute stroke have at the same time a myocardial injury, determined by elevated troponin I values.