Effect of Raised Cardiac Troponin Levels on Inpatient Mortality in Patients with Community Acquired Pneumonia

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To ascertain the frequency of raised cardiac troponin level and its association with in-hospital mortality among patients presenting with severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) at a public-sector tertiary care hospital in Karachi. METHODOLOGY: This prospective, observational study was performed at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center, Karachi throughout September 2020 till March 2021 with the approval of the hospital ethics committee. 146 patients who met the diagnostic measures were included. Serum cardiac troponin levels≥0.034 ng/mL were labeled as elevated. A detailed history of patients was taken upon their hospital admission to note down their demographic and clinical features. RESULT: A total of 146 patients were studied with the majority of age range 46-70 years (n=91, 62.3%). 95 (65.1%) had elevated troponin levels. Age was significantly different among patients with and without elevated troponin levels (p=0.038). 87 (59.6%) patients did not survive and 57 (65.5%) of them had elevated troponin levels. The risk of mortality was greater among patients having elevated troponin levels but it was not considered statistically (OR=1.05, 95% CI: 0.53 – 2.10). CONCLUSION: The study did not find evidence of a greater likelihood of mortality for patients having elevated troponin levels.