High-sensitivitiy troponin I correlated significantly, although weakly, with biomarkers representing myocardial wall tension, inflammation, endothelial activation and haemostasis in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation, network member Anja W. Horjen and co-authors conclude in an article published in Scandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation.

As cardiac troponins emerge as prognostic markers in atrial fibrillation, it is important to identify mechanisms initiating and perpetuating cardiac troponin release in atrial fibrillation populations. Relations between cardiac troponins and other circulating biomarkers may shed more light on this.

The results indicate that cardiac troponins correlate with the inflammatory markers interleukin-6 and high-sensitivity CRP, and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide, a marker of myocardial wall stress. Three markers of endothelial activation correlated significantly with high-sensitivity troponin I, including tissue-plasminogen activator antigen, E-selectin and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1. D-dimer, a marker of fibrin formation and turnover, correlated with high-sensitivity troponin I.

The correlations between high-sensitivity troponin I and the investigated biomarkers were all weak, and suggest that release of cardiac troponins is an independent pathophysiological process parallel to myocardial wall tension, inflammation, endothelial activation and haemostasis in atrial fibrillation.

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