Troponin T levels in the cord blood of healthy term neonates.

Troponin T (TnT) is recently being considered to be an important diagnostic marker of myocardial damage in adults, but this marker has not yet been used in neonates. The present study was designed to determine the normal level of cardiac TnT in the cord blood of healthy term neonates. Cardiac troponin T concentration in cord blood was measured in 15 healthy term neonates using commercial kit (Enzymun-Test System, Boehringer, Mannheim). TnT serum concentration was 0.05 +/- 0.04 micrograms/l in 10 of 15 babies whereas in the remaining 5 haemolysed samples its concentration was elevated (mean 0.19 +/- 0.07 micrograms/l). It is important to consider that incidental haemolysis of blood samples can mimic pathological elevation of TnT by interfering with the assay.