Cardiac troponin I elevation in paediatric cardiac catheterization

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate prospectively whether intracardiac catheterization produces myocardial damage in paediatric heart. Methods: The study was performed in all patients undergoing diagnostic cardiac catheterization at our institute. A baseline serum sample was drawn before the procedure. The second serum sample was obtained 4-6 hours after the procedure. Cardiac troponin-I and creatine kinase isoenzyme MB fraction levels were determined quantitatively. Results: Diagnostic cardiac catheterization was performed in 30 patients. There were 17 males and 13 females in the study group. The median age was 12 months (range 1 to 204 months); the median body weight was 8 kilograms (range 2.1 to 45 kilograms). The increase in cardiac troponin I (0.21±0.04 ng/ml to 1.16±1.40 ng/ml, p<0.05) and creatine kinase isoenzyme MB (26.68±7.53 U/L to 41.65±22.12 U/L, p< 0.05) levels after the procedure was significant. Conclusion: This study shows that serum elevations of cardiac troponin I and creatine kinase isoenzyme MB occur after the most of paediatric diagnostic cardiac catheterization procedures.