RESUMO
To Compare a qualitative with a quantitative method for cardiac Troponin T. One hundred and ten consecutive patients admitted to the Cardiac Care Unit for possible myocardial infarction comprised the study subjects. The usual WHO criteria for diagnosis of myocardial infarction were applied on admission and after 12 hours. The usual WHO criteria for diagnosis of myocardial infration were applied on admission and after 12 hours. At the same time cardiac troponin T levels were measured by two methods [qualitative TROPT[R] Sensitive slide test and quantitative Enzymun[R]; Boehringer Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany]. The study was double blinded. Clinical diagnosis was carried out without knowledge of troponin T results, and troponin T results were measured without knowledge of diagnoses. Cardiac Care Unit and Biochemistry Unit of Al-Adan General Hospital, Kuwait Concordance between the two methods was 92% at a 0.1 mg/L cut-off for troponin T. With the same cut-off, sensitivities for the qualitative tests were 30.5% and 25.0% on admission and 82.9% and 73.5% after 12 hours, respectively. Positive predictive values were 78.6% and 60% on admission and 82.9% and 78.1% after 12 hours respectively. Negative predictive values were 73.4% and 70.3% on admission and 90.8% and 86.8% after 12 hours respectively. Using the WHO criteria 38 of the 110 patients were diagnosed as having acute myocardial infarction. The qualitative test [Trop T[R] Sensitive] performed at least as well as did the quantitative Enzymun[R] test. Because of its quick turn-around time, the slide test is to be preferred. Slides and reagents were provided free by Boehringer Mannheim