Serum cardiac troponin T (cTnT) in Nigerian children with sickle cell anaemia: an index of myocardial injury?

Abstract

Recurrent vaso-occlusion in sickle cell anaemia (SCA) may be associated with myocardial ischaemia. We 
determined the serum cardiac Troponin T (cTnT) profile in children with SCA and assessed its relationship 
with the vaso-occlusive crises pain severity scores. Serum Troponin levels of 26 children with SCA who 
had significant painful crisis  (cases) and 27 SCA in stable state (controls) were determined using 
microparticle enzyme immunoassay method. The severity of the pain among the cases was determined 
using age appropriate pain rating scales. The overall mean (Standard deviations, SD) serum cTnT for the 53 
children was 65.63(23.54) ng/L with 45.3% having normal serum levels. Cases however had significantly 
higher mean serum cTnT than the controls, 119(24.40) vs. 57.90(13.80) ng/L, p=0.001. Also, significantly 
higher proportion of the cases, 19 (73.1%), than the controls, 3 (11.1%) had elevated serum cTnT levels (i.e. 
serum levels >100 ng/ L), p=0.001. Serum cTnT levels had strong positive correlation with the pain severity 
scores; Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r) =0.64, p=0.011. Routine serum cTnT estimation may be useful 
in evaluating for subclinical myocardial ischemic damage which may be associated with vaso-occlusive 
crisis in children with  SCA.