New Uses for Troponin T Test

A test for troponin T can now be used also as an aid in the differential diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome, for risk stratification in patients with acute coronary syndrome, and for cardiac risk in patients with chronic renal failure, according to new clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The test, called Elecsys Troponin T, measures the level of troponin T, a cardiac-specific protein, in a patient's blood. Troponin T is released into the blood when heart cells die, and its presence can help a doctor diagnose a heart attack. Also, the higher the level of troponin T, the more at-risk the patient is to suffer another heart attack. Four multicenter trials involving more than 7,000 patients have shown that the test can help identify patients with acute coronary syndromes who may benefit from anti-thrombotic therapy.

"The FDA clearance for the expanded indications for troponin T testing in patients with renal failure will change the way we approach the epidemic of cardiovascular disease in this high-risk patient group,” said Benjamin Freda, M.D., department of internal medicine, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation (OH, USA).

The Elecsys test is the product of Roche Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland).




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