Diagnostic value of troponin T in neonates of mild pre-eclamptic mothers

Biol Neonate. 1999;75(2):137-42. doi: 10.1159/000014089.

Abstract

The measurement of myocardial damage by newer, highly specific markers of myocardial damage is now possible, including cardiac structural proteins such as troponin T (TnT). In neonates of pre-eclamptic mothers, it identifies minor myocardial damage missed by other biochemical markers. The present study was designed to determine the diagnostic value of TnT concentrations in neonates of pre-eclamptic mothers. Fifteen neonates of pre-eclamptic mothers were studied (9 boys and 6 girls), and 17 healthy full-term neonates (9 boys and 8 girls) were selected as a control group. The serum TnT concentration in neonates of pre-eclamptic mothers (0.70 ng/ml) was significantly higher than that in the control group (0.10 ng/ml). In an echocardiographic study, the mean mitral peak velocity at an atrial contraction (A) value of 39 cm/s in neonates of pre-eclamptic mothers was significantly lower than that in the control group (53 cm/s), and the mean mitral peak velocity of early diastole to peak velocity of the atrial contraction (E/A) value (1.75) in neonates of pre-eclamptic mothers was significantly higher than that in the control subjects (1.23). In conclusion, our study demonstrated high levels of cardiac TnT, lower mitral A values and high mitral E/A values in neonates of pre-eclamptic mothers, presumably associated with mild myocardial damage in the neonates of pre-eclamptic mothers.

MeSH terms

  • Cardiomyopathies / blood
  • Cardiomyopathies / diagnosis*
  • Cardiomyopathies / etiology*
  • Echocardiography
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Male
  • Myocardial Contraction
  • Pre-Eclampsia / blood
  • Pre-Eclampsia / complications*
  • Pregnancy
  • Reference Values
  • Troponin T / blood*

Substances

  • Troponin T