Post mortem troponin T analysis in sudden death: Is it useful?
- Author:
Razuin Rahimi
1
Author Information
1. Centre for Pathology Diagnostic and Research Laboratories (CPDRL), Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh Campus, Selangor
- Collective Name:Razuin Rahimi;Nor Dahlia Dahili; Khairul Anuar Zainun; Noor Alicezah Mohd Kasim and Shahidan Md Noor
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Sudden unexplained death;
cardiac death;
troponin T;
post mortem biochemistry
- MeSH:
cardiac death
- From:The Malaysian Journal of Pathology
2018;40(2):143-148
- CountryMalaysia
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Introduction: Cardiac-related diseases contributed approximately 50-60% of sudden natural death cases. This study aimed to describe the cardiac troponin T (cTnT) findings in post mortem subjects irrespective of the cause and manner of death, and the possible use of post mortem serum cTnT as a modality in investigating sudden natural death. Methods: The study samples comprised 140 subjects aged 18 to 50 years old, natural and unnatural causes of sudden death brought to the Department of Forensic Medicine, Hospital Sungai Buloh (HSgB) and Hospital Sultanah Aminah Johor Bahru (HSAJB) for a period of 12 months. The subjects were categorised into 5 groups: cardiovascular disease (CVD), sudden unexplained death (SUD), thoracic trauma (TT), non-thoracic trauma (NTT) and other diseases (OD). Results: Median troponin concentration in cases of CVD, SUD, TT, NTT, and OD were 0.51 µg/L, 0.17 µg/L, 0.62 µg/L, 0.90 µg/L and 0.51 µg/L respectively. We found no significant difference of troponin T level in different causes of death (p ≥ 0.05). NTT has the highest median troponin concentration with 0.90 µg/L, SUD possessed the lowest median concentration with 0.17 µg/L. Conclusion: Troponin T is neither specific nor useful as cardiac biomarker for post mortem sample. Therefore, it may not be a useful diagnostic tool at autopsy.
- Full text:5.2018my0960.pdf
