Introduction: Dilated cardiomyopathy is one of the most common heart muscle diseases in developed
countries. Troponins have emerged as the most reliable clinical measure of myocyte injury. Despite the widespread
use of cardiac troponins as biomarkers for diagnosis and risk stratification, their condition in cardiomyopathy is not
known. Patients and methods: The study was conducted on 20 children with dilated cardiomyopathy, attending the
Cardiology Unit of Children Hospital in Assiut University, for recurring episodes of heart failure. Determination of
serum level of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) was done on admition and discharge after relief of presenting symptoms.
Results: Serum cTnI concentrations ranged from 0.11 to 0.15 ng/ml (0.12 ± 0.003) on admition and from 0.1 to 0.14
ng/ml (0.11 ± 0.004) on discharge, all are within the normal range, but there is a significant decrease in serum cTnI
concentrations on remetion. Conclusion: Serum cardiac troponin I (cTnI) does not increase in dilated
cardiomyopathy, however in patients having DCM who presented wtith hear failure (HF), assay of cTnI can be used
for follow up of these patients. Further studies are needed to support this proposal.
[Khalid A. Sanousy, Faisal-Alkhatib Ahmed and Osman M. Esam. Cardiac Troponin I in Dilated
Cardiomyopathy. J Am Sci 2012;8(12): 535-540]. (ISSN: 1545-1003). http://www.jofamericanscience.org. 74