SHORT TERM PROGNOSTIC VALUE OF TROPONIN AND C-REACTIVE PROTEIN IN PATIENTS WITH UNSTABLE ANGINA PECTORIS

Abstract

Despite major therapeutic advances in the last decade, patients with unstable angina are still at high risk of adverse cardiac events with a mortality rate in the range of 5% to 10%, and at least another 5% to I0% of the patients will progress to acute MT.

Risk stratification of these patients as soon as possible after examination is necessary to initiate appropriate treatment strategies and Improve prognosis.

The goal of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of four markers (cardiac troponin I, C-reactive protein, leukocytosis and erythrocyte sedimentation rate), measured at admission, in patients with unstable angina pectoris to predict short term adverse cardiac events.

We prospectively studied 50 patients with unstable angina (class TTIB of the Braunwald classification). Cardiac troponin I(with a cutoff value of lng/mL), CRP (with a cutoff value of 6 mg!L), white cell count

(N<I 0000 per mm3

and ESR were measured at admission.

All patients were subjected to treatment with intravenous unfractionated heparin, intravenous nitrates, aspirin and -blockers and followed up for 30 days. Cardiac events; namely myocardial infarction, refractory angina, acute heart failure and cardiac death were recorded.