Importance of cardiac marker enzymes (Aspartate transaminase and troponin I) in acute myocardial infarction: A case-control study from South India .

ABSTRACT

Background: Cardiac marker enzymes are measured to evaluate the heart function. The diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction can be achieved by electrocardiogram (ECG) changes and elevation of cardiac marker enzymes like creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate transaminase (AST) and troponin I. Objective: To estimates the levels of AST and troponin I among patients of acute myocardial infarction, and to compare with those among health controls. Materials and Methods: This study was carried out among 50 cases of acute myocardial infarction and 50 age and sex matched healthy individuals. Serum samples of cases, collected after 5 hours and within 24 hours from the onset of chest pain and of controls were analyzed for AST by modified IFCC method and for troponin I by chemiluminescence – sandwich method. Results: The mean levels of AST and troponin I in cases and controls revealed that mean levels of AST and cardiac troponin I in cases (296.02±SD 135.69 IU/L and 57.34±SD 12.83 ng/ml, erspectively) are significantly higher than among controls (25.50±SD 6.22 IU/L and 0.31±SD 0.15 ng/ml, respectively). The differences between cases and controls are statistically significant (p<0.0001). Conclusion: The diagnostic efficiency of AST and troponin I were superior because they are specific to myocardial injury.