Clinical Study of Patients with Elevated Troponin-I in Near-hanging Injury

Shin, Hyun Goo; Park, Jun Bum; Kim, Chang Sun; Oh, Jae Hoon; Cho, Young Suk; Park, Sae Hoon; Je, Sang Mo; Choi, Hyuk Joong; Kang, Bo Seung; Lim, Tae Ho; Kang, Hyung Goo

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study aimed to recognize the frequency of near-hanging patients with elevated Troponin-I (Tn-I), to obtain information necessary for treatment and prediction of prognosis by analyzing the clinical feature of near-hanging patients, and to evaluate the relevance of elevated Tn-I to abnormal result of other cardiac-related examinations.
METHODS
A retrospective review for the near-hanging patients, clinical record was conducted at two urban training hospitals between April, 2001 and December, 2011. We divided included patients into two groups, which one with elevated Tn-I level (Tn-I> or =0.1 ng/dL) and one without it, and compared the differences in initial vital signs, cardiac enzyme tests, an electrocardiogram, echocardiography, chest X-ray, and the clinical outcomes.
RESULTS
A total of 39 patients were included, out of them, 14 patients showed rise in Tn-I level. The length of hospital stay and ICU hospitalization was more prolonged in the patient group with elevated Tn-I level than non-elevated group. As well as the incidence of endotracheal intubation and abnormal findings in echocardiography or chest X-ray was higher in the Tn-I elevated group, which is statistically significant.
CONCLUSION
The rising of serum Tn-I level in near-hanging patients were not uncommonly observed. We believe that the cardiac-related test including Tn-I is necessary for near-hanging patients, and those who are shown abnormal result in cardiac-related test may need close observation and intensive care.