Archives of Disease in Childhood - Fetal and Neonatal Edition 2009;94:F464-F466
ORIGINAL ARTICLES
Cardiac troponin I at birth is of fetal-neonatal origin
1 Department of Pediatrics, Medical School, University of Padova, Azienda Ospedaliera Padova, Padova, Italy
2 Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical School, University of Padova, Azienda Ospedaliera Padova, Padova, Italy
Correspondence to Dr Daniele Trevisanuto, Pediatric Department, Medical School, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani, 3, 35128 Padova, Italy; trevo{at}pediatria.unipd.it
Objective: Neonates produce predominantly skeletal muscle troponin I (TnI) in the myocardium; however, in asphyxiated neonates, high levels of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) have been found. We hypothesised that in these circumstances cTnI could be from the mother or the result of a change in fetal/neonatal production in response to an insult. In this study, we aimed to compare cTnI concentrations in asphyxiated neonates with those of their respective mothers.
Methods: In this prospective observational study, we enrolled all asphyxiated neonates transferred by the Veneto Region Neonatal Transport Service in the period 1 January 2006 to 31 March 2007. Asphyxia was defined as a pH
7.00 and/or a base deficit of 
16 mmol per litre. Neonatal and maternal blood samples were obtained for cTnI determination.
Results: We enrolled 19 asphyxiated neonates (median gestational age: 39 weeks, interquartile range 34–40; birth weight 3100 g, 1950–3340). Their cTnI concentrations were significantly higher in comparison with their mothers: 0.24 µg/l (0.13–0.50) vs 0.04 µg/l (0.04–0.04); p<0.01.
Conclusions: Increased cTnI concentrations detected in asphyxiated neonates are of neonatal origin and are not derived from the mother. In asphyxiated neonates, there may be predisposing factors that could cause earlier switching from skeletal TnI to cTnI in the myocardium.
CiteULike 
Complore 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us 
Digg 
Reddit 
Technorati What's this?
- Full Text
- Full Text (PDF)
-
All Versions of this Article:
adc.2008.145987v1
94/6/F464 most recent - Submit a response
- Alert me when this article is cited
- Alert me when eLetters are posted
- Alert me if a correction is posted
- Citation Map
Services
- Email this link to a friend
- Similar articles in ADC Online
- Similar articles in PubMed
- Add article to my folders
- Download to citation manager
- Request Permissions
Google Scholar
PubMed
Topic Collections
Bookmark with
Register for free content
The full back archive is now available for all BMJ Journals. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006 right back to volume 1 issue 1. Register here to access the free archive of all BMJ Journals.
Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.
