Dr. Dan Mais’s paper “Lab: What Have We Done for You Lately? The Troponin Issue” evaluates the evolution of the troponin I (TnI) assay over the past decade and proposes a matching adaptation of its implementation. Normal troponin values are commonly defined to include up to the 99th percentile – anything up to 0.04 ng/mL. With the Beckman assay, Tnl levels can be detected as low as 0.01 ng/mL., much lower than previously assays could detect. However, with increased sensitivity of this testing the rate of false positives also increases, though analytical false positives tended to be markedly higher. Low level elevation tends to be more clinically significant with a second 3-hour interval Tnl providing the most information. For these reasons, he proposes to re-evaluate the critical value of troponin with input from any concerned parties.
Article written by Daniel D. Mais, M.D.
Summary written by Lauren Beyea & Katherine Chandler