Diagnoses and mortality in a population without acute myocardial infarction, but with elevated high-sensitive troponin I - a retrospective register-based single center study

AIM: To explore, which differential diagnoses to consider in individuals with elevated troponins without acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and the mortality for those individuals. METHODS: Retrospective, register-based study on a representative sample of the Danish population with the following inclusion criteria: High-sensitive troponin I (hs-TnI) ⋝25 ng/L, age ⋝18 years, and exclusion of AMI. RESULTS: 3067 individuals without AMI but increased hs-TnI were included. Most frequent discharge diagnoses: Pneumonia (12.8%), Aortic valve disorder (11.3%), Medical observation (10.9%) and Heart failure (8.9%). The 30-days and one-year mortality was 15.8% and 32.0%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: A selected number of alternative diagnoses must be considered in individuals with increased hs-TnI. Due to high mortality it is crucial to carefully evaluate these individuals despite the absence of AMI.