Association of Raised Troponin Levels With Mortality in Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients

Maryam  Jamil; Bilquis  Shabbir; Zia  Arif; Maria  Nadeem

doi:10.54112/bcsrj.v6i4.1665

Authors

Maryam Jamil Department of Medicine, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan
Bilquis Shabbir Department of Medicine, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan
Zia Arif Department of Radiology, Mayo Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan
Maria Nadeem Department of Medicine, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54112/bcsrj.v6i4.1665

Keywords:

Ischemic Stroke, Mortality, Troponin-T levels

Abstract

Troponin-T is a well-established cardiac biomarker used primarily in diagnosing myocardial infarction. However, its elevation in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients has been increasingly recognized as an indicator of poor prognosis. Elevated troponin-T levels may result from direct neurogenic myocardial injury or underlying cardiac pathology and may serve as a useful prognostic marker for mortality in stroke patients. Objective: To determine the association of raised troponin-T levels with short-term mortality in patients presenting with acute ischemic stroke. Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted at the Department of Medicine, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Lahore, from June 15, 2024, to December 14, 2024. A total of 200 patients with confirmed acute ischemic stroke were enrolled. Serum troponin-T levels were measured using centrifuged serum samples. Patients were categorized into two groups: Group A (raised troponin-T levels) and Group B (normal troponin-T levels). All patients were followed up for a period of 3 months to record mortality. Data were analyzed using SPSS v25. Mortality risk was compared between groups using Chi-square test, with relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) calculated. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Among 200 patients, 67.5% (n = 135) were male and 32.5% (n = 65) were female. The mean age was 49.83 ± 7.79 years. Hypertension and diabetes were present in 49.0% and 37.0% of patients, respectively. Obesity was seen in 20.5% (mean BMI = 24.32 ± 1.87 kg/m²), and 34.0% were smokers. Overall mortality was 13.0% (n = 26). Group A (raised troponin-T) showed a significantly higher mortality rate of 20.0% (n = 20) compared to 6.0% (n = 6) in Group B (p = 0.003). The relative risk of mortality in Group A was 3.97 (95% CI: 1.50–10.22), indicating a strong association. Conclusion: Raised troponin-T levels are significantly associated with increased mortality in acute ischemic stroke patients. Routine assessment of troponin-T in such patients can aid in early risk stratification and guide intensive monitoring and management. Early identification of high-risk patients could reduce mortality and improve overall outcomes.

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