Nimi Bharathan1, Cibu Mathew2, Radhika Mutteth3, Rajany Jose4, Pushpalatha Mukkadakkattil5
BACKGROUND
Conventional methods used to diagnose or rule out myocarditis is not useful in detecting cardiac myocyte injury in clinically suspected cases. Endomyocardial biopsy and histopathological examination is not feasible in most government hospitals in India. Sensitive parameters have yet to be found out. The study was conducted to find out whether diagnosis of myocarditis in clinically suspected cases can be done by measurement of serum levels of cardiac troponinI (cTnI) and MB isoform of creatine kinase (CK-MB).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
19 patients with clinically suspected myocarditis were screened for CK-MB activity and cTnI. Echocardiography, ECG and IgM for leptospirosis were also checked in these patients.
RESULTS
cTnI was elevated in 10 out of 19 patients with clinically suspected myocarditis. CK-MB was elevated in 7 patients.
CONCLUSION
Elevation of cTnI level in blood can be taken as an indicator of cardiac muscle cell injury in suspected cases of myocarditis.
KEYWORDS
Myocarditis, Troponin I, Cardiac Troponins, Cardiac Biomarkers, cTnI.
