Cardiac troponins in patients with chronic kidney disease and kidney transplant recipients without acute cardiac symptoms

Abstract

Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases are the most common causes of death in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and kidney transplant patients. This study aimed to evaluate cardiac troponins in transplant recipients and CKD patients without cardiac symptoms.

Materials and methods: Two groups of patients (CKD and kidney transplant recipients) were evaluated for troponins T and I levels. These values were associated with renal replacement therapy and demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients.

Results: Eighty CKD patients and 80 kidney transplant recipients were studied. There was a significant difference in Troponins T and I levels were significantly higher in the CKD group than in the transplant recipients. In the CKD group, 14 patients (17.5%) had an elevated troponin T level and 8 (10.0%) had an elevated troponin I, all of whom were in stage 4 of CKD. None of the kidney transplant patients had a positive troponin. Among CKD patients, decreased glomerular filtration rate was associated with elevated troponin I level. Elevated troponin T level was significantly associated with age and decreased glomerular filtration rate. In multivariable analysis, significant associations were found between troponin T level and age, serum creatinine, and glomerular filtration rate. A significant relationship was also found between troponin I and cholesterol and glomerular filtration rate.

Conclusions: The assessment of troponin T and I in CKD and kidney transplant patients shows that in patients with CKD and without any symptoms of acute coronary syndrome, serum level of cardiac troponins increase and it is linked to serum creatinine and GFR.