Levels of Cardiac Troponin I Ultra in Healthy Neonates

Troponins are regulatory globular proteins, primarily located on the myofibrils and released into the circulation on myocardial Injury. Human cardiac Troponin I (cTnI) is a 30 amino acid peptide longer than skeletal Troponin I giving it unique cardiac specificity. Only one cardiac isoform has been identified. Ischemia and myocardial necrosis occur in 25-51% of newborn infants with perinatal asphyxia and are often associated with other adverse conditions specific to the neonatal period. Thus estimating the levels of cTnI in normal neonates could be of significance in conditions of foetal distress. Aim was to estimate the levels of cTnI ultra in healthy neonates. It is a retrospective database study carried out at PGIMS Rohtak in 116 asymptomatic neonates with gestation age =37 weeks and APGAR score >7 at 5 minutes. Cord blood samples were analysed for cardiac troponin I ultra on ADVIA centaur CP by chemiluminiscent technology. The Mean cTnI ultra in the healthy neonates was found to be 0.0502 ng/ml. The mean APGAR score was 7.215 at 1 minute and 8.922 at 5 minutes. Keeping in view of small therapeutic window of intervention in newborns, cardiac Troponin I ultra may be a sensitive marker for early detection of neonatal morbidity.