Association of High‐Sensitivity Troponin T and I Blood Concentrations With All‐Cause Mortality and Cardiovascular Outcome in Stable Patients—Results From the INTERCATH Cohort

BACKGROUND: The association between high‐sensitivity troponin T (hsTnT) and high‐sensitivity troponin I (hsTnI) and outcome when adjusted for confounders including the angiographical severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) remains largely unknown. We therefore aimed to explore whether hsTnT and hsTnI blood levels increase with CAD severity and add independent predictive information for future major adverse cardiovascular events and all‐cause mortality in stable patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients from the INTERCATH cohort with available coronary angiography and hsTnT and hsTnI concentrations were included. Troponin concentrations were quantified via hsTnT (Roche Elecsys) and hsTnI (Abbott ARCHITECT STAT). To investigate the association of hsTnT and hsTnI with outcome, a multivariable analysis adjusting for classical cardiovascular risk factors, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, estimated glomerular filtration rate, hs‐CRP (high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein), NT‐proBNP (N‐terminal pro–brain natriuretic peptide), and Gensini score was carried out. Of 1829 patients, 27.9% were women, and the mean age was 68.6±10.9 years. Troponin blood concentrations were higher in patients with diagnosed CAD compared with those without. Using a linear regression model current smoking, arterial hypertension, estimated glomerular filtration rate, hs‐CRP, NT‐proBNP, and CAD severity as graded by the Gensini and SYNTAX scores were associated with high‐sensitivity troponin levels. Patients were followed for 4.4 years (25th and 75th percentiles: 4.3, 4.4). After multivariable adjustment, all‐cause mortality was predicted by hsTnT (hazard ratio [HR], 1.7 [95% CI, 1.5–2.2], P<0.001) as well as hsTnI (HR, 1.5 [95% CI, 1.2–1.8], P<0.001). However, only hsTnI (HR, 1.2 [95% CI, 1.0–1.4], P=0.032) remained as an independent predictor of major adverse cardiovascular events after adjusting for most possible confounders, including CAD severity (hsTnT: HR, 1.0 [95% CI, 0.9–1.2], P=0.95). CONCLUSIONS: After adjusting for classical cardiovascular risk factors, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, estimated glomerular filtration rate, hs‐CRP, NT‐proBNP, and CAD severity, hsTnT and hsTnI were independently associated with all‐cause mortality, but only hsTnI was associated with major adverse cardiovascular events in stable patients undergoing coronary angiography. REGISTRATION: URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/; Unique identifier: NCT04936438.