Raised troponin T in inclusion body myositis is common and serum levels are persistent over time

Cardiac Troponin T (cTnT), creatine kinase (CK) and creatine kinase isoenzyme MB (CKMB) were measured in 42 consecutive patients with sporadic inclusion body myositis (s-IBM). 26 patients (62%) had a cTnT level >0.05 μg/L, the cut off used in the diagnosis of myocardial infarction. The cTnT levels correlated somewhat more closely to CKMB ( ρ = 0.83, p < 0.0001) than to CK ( ρ = 0.60, p < 0.0001). Patients on immunosuppressive treatment had lower cTnT levels than untreated, while there were no significant differences according to age, disease duration or gender. Repeated samples in 26 patients showed that the cTnT levels were essentially unchanged over time up to 17 months. None of the patients had signs of myocardial damage or renal failure at time of sampling. It may be of value to analyse cTnT at some occasion(s) in s-IBM patients.