Troponin T

Subtypes

• Slow skeletal troponin T1, TNNT1 (19q13.4, )
• Cardiac troponin T2, TNNT2 (1q32, )
• Fast skeletal troponin T3, TNNT3 (11p15.5, )

Reference values

The 99th percentile cutoff for cardiac troponin T (cTnT) is 0.01 ng/mL. The reference range for the high sensitivity troponin T is a normal 52 ng/L.

Background

The troponin complex is responsible for coupling the sarcomere contraction cycle to variations in intracellular calcium concentration. Increased troponin T levels after an episode of chest pain might indicate myocardial infarction. It was discovered by the German physician Hugo A. Katus at the University of Heidelberg. He also developed the troponin T assay. In patients with non-severe asymptomatic aortic valve stenosis and no overt coronary artery disease, the increased troponin T (above 14 pg/mL) was found associated with an increased 5-year event rate of ischemic cardiac events (myocardial infarction, percutaneous coronary intervention, or coronary artery bypass surgery). In patients with stable coronary artery disease, the troponin T concentration has long been found to be significantly associated with the incidence of cardiovascular death and heart failure, but it was 2014 before it began to be accepted as a predictor of who would later suffer acute myocardial infarction (heart attack). A recent study has found an association between long-term excessive variation in blood pressure and elevations in Troponin T levels.

References

References

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