LAUSR

BACKGROUND It is uncertain how the implementation of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) has affected the survival of patients with chest pain in the emergency department (ED). We studied prognosis and resource utilization in terms of coronary angiographies and revascularizations (percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass grafting) in patients evaluated with hs-cTnT compared with conventional troponin T (cTnT). METHODS All patients >25years presenting with chest pain and at least one troponin level analyzed in the ED at the Karolinska University Hospital, Sweden, were included. Hazard ratios (HR) for all-cause mortality, coronary angiographies and revascularizations were adjusted for age, sex and comorbidities during 1year of follow-up comparing patients tested with hs-cTnT (December 10, 2010 to December 31, 2013) with patients tested with cTnT (January 1, 2009 to December 9, 2010). RESULTS In total, 31,904 patients were included (n=12,485 tested with cTnT and n=24,729 using hs-cTnT). Patient characteristics, comorbidities, and medications were similar during the study period. The absolute risk of all-cause mortality was 3.7% for those tested with cTnT compared with 3.4% for hs-cTnT. After adjustment for confounders, an increased all-cause mortality was observed for patients tested with hs-cTnT (HR 1.15; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02-1.29). Coronary angiographies increased by 13% (HR 1.13; 95% CI 1.00-1.28) and revascularizations by 18% (HR 1.18; 95% CI 1.01-1.37) when using hs-cTnT. CONCLUSIONS In an observational cohort study including patients with chest pain in the ED we found a small increase in mortality, coronary angiographies and revascularizations after the introduction of hs-cTnT.