SERUM LEVELS OF CARDIAC TROPONIN T AND CREATINE KINASE MB FRACTION IN PATIENTS WITH ACUTE ISCHAEMIC STROKE

Abstract

Background: Stroke has been a global burden, with increasing morbidity and mortality. Serum cardiac troponin t (cTnT) and creatine kinase (CK-MB) fraction are reported to be elevated in patients admitted with acute ischaemic stroke and high level of these biomarkers indicated more severe stroke and neurologic deficit in some of the patients.
Objective: To determine and compare the serum levels cardiac troponin t (cTnT) and creatine kinase MB fraction (CK-MB) in patients with acute ischaemic stroke and healthy controls in Zaria. It was also to determine the relationship between severity of stroke and serum levels of the analytes at admission.
Method: This is a case control study conducted in Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital Zaria. One hundred Ischaemic stroke patients confirmed by brain CT-Scan or Siri-Raj stroke score and an equal number of apparently healthy aged and sex-matched were recruited using nonprobability sampling method. Total cardiac troponin t (cTnT) and total creatine kinase MB fraction (CK-MB) were analysed using ELISA method. Severity of stroke was determined using National Institute of Health Stroke Score (NIHSS) and patients were classified as mild, moderate and severe.
Results: Stroke patients had significantly higher levels cardiac troponin t (cTnT) and total creatine kinase MB fraction (CK-MB) compared to controls (p = 0.000). Forty one per cent of the patients had high cTnT while 65% had high CK-MB. Troponin T concentrations of 85.81, 89.56 and 97.73 ng/L were observed in patients with mild, moderate and severe NIHS Score (p=0.253). Creatine Kinase MB concentrations of 25.81, 27.77 and 27.06 ng/mL were observed in patients with mild, moderate and severe NIHS Score (p=0.854).
Conclusion: Serum cardiac Troponin t level may be a significant biomarker of the severity of stroke.