Abstract
AIMS: Evidence of the prognostic value of high-sensitivity troponin in patients with non-ischaemic heart failure (NIHF) is scarce. This study aimed to assess the predictive value of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) in NIHF patients. METHODS: Hs-cTnI was measured at baseline in 650 NIHF patients admitted to the Heart Failure Center. The prognostic value of hs-cTnI was assessed based on a well-established model (including age, sex, New York Heart Association class, left ventricular ejection fraction, haemoglobin, sodium, estimated glomerular filtration rate, diabetes mellitus, treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blockers, treatment with β-blockers, and NT-proBNP). RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 1036 days, 163 patients died of various causes. In total, 46.92% of patients had high hs-cTnI (hs-cTnI >0.011 ng/ml). Over a 3-year follow-up, patients with high hs-cTnI (>0.011 ng/ml) had a 1.54 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.11-2.15] fold higher all-cause mortality risk than those without. Increasing concertation of hs-cTnI was also associated with a 23.0% (95% CI 13-33%, per log(2) increase) increment risk of all-cause mortality. The inclusion of hs-cTnI significantly improved the risk prediction and stratification of all-cause mortality (integrated discrimination improvement 1.58%, 95% CI 0.38-2.79%, absolute net reclassification improvement 23.41% 95% CI 4.52-44.49%, additive net reclassification improvement 27.8%, 95% CI 9.29-46.3%) of the well-established model. CONCLUSIONS: Hs-cTnI provides significant prognostic value and could further remarkably improve risk stratification and prediction capabilities in NIHF patients.