OBJECTIVE:

To assess whether a raised serum troponin T concentration would be an independent predictor of death in patients with an acute ischaemic stroke.

DESIGN:

Observational study.

SETTING:

Auckland Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand.

SUBJECTS:

All 181 patients with an acute ischaemic stroke admitted over nine months in 1997-8, from a total of 8057 patients admitted to the acute medical service.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:

Blood samples for measuring troponin T concentration were collected 12-72 hours after admission; other variables previously associated with severity of stroke were also recorded and assessed as independent predictors of inpatient mortality.

RESULTS:

Troponin T concentration was raised (>0.1 microgram/l) in 17% (30) of patients admitted with an acute ischaemic stroke. Thirty one patients died in hospital (12/30 (40%) patients with a raised troponin T concentration v 19/151 (13%) patients with a normal concentration (relative risk 3.2 (95% confidence 1.7 to 5. 8; P=0.0025)). Of 17 possible predictors of death, assessed in a multivariate stepwise model, only a raised troponin T concentration (P=0.0002), age (P=0.0008), and an altered level of consciousness at presentation (P=0.0074) independently predicted an adverse outcome.

CONCLUSIONS:

Serum troponin T concentration at hospital admission is a powerful predictor of mortality in patients admitted with an acute ischaemic stroke.