Electrocardiographic Changes and Serum Troponin Levels in Patients with Acute Stroke: A Prospective Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND: Electrocardiographic changes and elevated serum troponin are frequent findings in acute stroke. They may reflect what is known as the neurogenic myocardial injury. The aim of this study is to determine the electrocardiographic changes and serum troponin level in acute stroke patients and to correlate these changes to the anatomical location and pathological type of the stroke. METHODS: A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted at the National Center of Neurological Science, from January to December 2019. Non-probability sampling with total coverage was considered. 50 patients with acute stroke were included in the study. Data were analyzed by using (SPSS) version 25. Standardized ECG was performed in the first hours of admission. 2 samples from each patient were obtained for serum troponin with at least 8 hours apart. RESULTS: All patients had wide variants of ECG changes. But tachycardia was the most frequent one identified in 54% of patients (n=50). Half of them were found to have an anterior circulation stroke. 14% of patients (n=50) have positive troponin; ECG changes are identified in all patients who represent positive troponin 100% (7 patients). Moreover, anterior circulation stroke was recognized in all patients with a positive troponin I marker. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that ECG abnormalities in patients with acute stroke are very common, especially tachycardia. The site of the lesion appears to play a major factor as a cause of the genesis of arrhythmia. Serum troponin elevation may play a role in diagnosing neurocardiogenic injury; nevertheless, ECG appears to be more sensitive and familial.