High-sensitivity cardiac troponin T and cognitive function in patients with ischemic stroke

Broersen, L.H.A.; Siegerink, B.; Sperber, P.S.; Rennenberg, R. von; Piper, S.K.; Nolte, C.H.; ... ; Liman, T.G. (2020)

Article / Letter to editor

Background and Purpose-Our study aim was to assess whether high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT), a specific biomarker for myocardial injury, is associated with cognitive function in patients after mild-to-moderate first-ever ischemic stroke.Methods-We used data from PROSCIS-B (Prospective Cohort With Incident Stroke Berlin). Cognitive function was assessed by Mini-Mental-State-Examination at baseline, and Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status-modified after 1 to 3 years of follow-up. Patients were categorized according to hs-cTnT quartiles. We performed generalized linear regression to calculate risk ratios of cognitive impairment (Mini-Mental-State-Examination <27; Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status-modified <32). Association of hs-cTnT with cognitive function over time was estimated using a linear mixed model.Results-We included 555 patients (mean age, 67 years, 62% male, median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale 2 [interquartile range, 1-5], hs-cTnT above upper reference limit 40%, baseline cognitive impairment 28%). Baseline Mini-Mental-State-Examination score and rate of cognitive impairment were lower in patients in the highest versus lowest hs-cTnT quartile (median Mini-Mental-State-Examination 27 versus 29, and 15.3% versus 43.0%, adjusted risk ratio, 1.76 [95% CI, 1.07-2.90], respectively). If anything, cognition seemed to improve in all groups, yet Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status-modified scores were consistently lower in patients within the highest versus lowest hs-cTnT quartile (adjusted beta, -1.33 [95% CI, -2.65 to -0.02]), without difference in the rate of change over time.Conclusions-In patients with mild-to-moderate first-ever ischemic stroke without dementia, higher hs-cTnT was associated with higher prevalence of cognitive impairment at baseline and lower Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status-modified during 3-year follow-up.Registration-URL: ; Unique identifier: NCT01363856.

• biomarker
• cognition
• dementia
• prevalence
• stroke
• troponin T

• All authors: Broersen, L.H.A.; Siegerink, B.; Sperber, P.S.; Rennenberg, R. von; Piper, S.K.; Nolte, C.H.; Heuschmann, P.U.; Endres, M.; Scheitz, J.F.; Liman, T.G.
• Date: 2020-05-01
• Journal: Stroke
• Volume: 51
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 1604 - 1607
• DOI: doi:10.1161/STROKEAHA.119.028410
• Link: https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/STROKEAHA.119.028410