Plasma levels of troponin I is reduced after a 12 week exercise training program in patients with uncomplicated heart failure. A substudy of the SMARTEX-HF study

Abstract Background Low-level elevation of cardiac troponins has been associated with adverse outcome, and concentrations even within the normal range provide independent information concerning risk in heart failure (HF). Exercise training exerts many beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system, and longitudinal observational data from epidemiological studies suggest that higher physical activity (PA) is associated with lower concentrations of cardiac troponins. Purpose Our aim was to compare changes in plasma troponin I (TnI) levels (Abbott Diagnostics) in patients with symptomatic heart failure undergoing a 12 week structured exercise training program (Intervention group, IG) with changes in controls on a recommendation of regular exercise (RRE); control group, (CG) in a randomized clinical trial. Methods This was a post hoc analysis of the SMARTEX-HF trial in 199 patients with symptomatic HF with LVEF