Factors influencing the 99th percentile of cardiac troponin I evaluated in community-dwelling individuals at 70 and 75 years of age.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to investigate the effects of sex, prevalent cardiovascular disease (CVD), and aging on the 99th percentile of cardiac troponin I (cTnI).
METHODS: cTnI was measured using a high-sensitivity assay (Abbott Diagnostics) in 814 community-dwelling individuals at both 70 and 75 years of age. We determined the cTnI 99th percentiles separately using nonparametric methods in the total sample, in men and women, and in individuals with and without CVD.
RESULTS: The cTnI 99th percentile at baseline was 55.2 ng/L for the total cohort. Higher 99th percentiles were noted in men (69.3 ng/L) and individuals with CVD (74.5 ng/L). The cTnI 99th percentile in individuals free from CVD at baseline (n = 498) increased by 51% from 38.4 to 58.0 ng/L during the 5-year observation period. Relative increases ranging from 44% to 83% were noted across all subgroups. Male sex [odds ratio, 5.3 (95% CI, 1.5-18.3)], log-transformed N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide [odds ratio, 1.9 (95% CI, 1.2-3.0)], and left-ventricular mass index [odds ratio, 1.3 (95% CI, 1.1-1.5)] predicted increases in cTnI concentrations from below the 99th percentile (i.e., 38.4 ng/L) at baseline to concentrations above the 99th percentile at the age of 75 years.
CONCLUSIONS: cTnI concentration and its 99th percentile threshold depend strongly on the characteristics of the population being assessed. Among elderly community dwellers, higher concentrations were seen in men and individuals with prevalent CVD. Aging contributes to increasing concentrations, given the pronounced changes seen with increasing age across all subgroups. These findings should be taken into consideration when applying cTnI decision thresholds in clinical settings.