Introduction
Elevation of blood serum troponin I (cTnI) and other cardiac enzymes is
a key feature of cardiac ischemia and myocardial
infarction1,2. In the event of myocardial infarction,
detectable troponin elevation is present within a few hours of the
event, and peak levels are reached by 24-48 hours3.
Presence of acute coronary syndrome with troponin elevation has been
demonstrated to signify higher risk of mortality than patients without
troponin elevation4,5. Furthermore, mortality risk
increases following coronary revascularization, both via percutaneous
coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), when
preprocedural troponin levels are elevated6–12. It is
well-documented that pre-revascularization troponin elevation is
associated with decreased survival, however, the significance of peak
troponin level on outcomes of revascularization has been more
controversial5,6,13. The purpose of this study was to
evaluate the impact of preoperative peak troponin level on short- and
long-term outcomes of isolated CABG for non-ST-elevation myocardial
infarction (NSTEMI).