Troponin T and I Assays Show Decreased Concentrations in Heparin Plasma Compared with Serum: Lower Recoveries in Early than in Late Phases of Myocardial Injury

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Abstract
Background: Heparinized plasma samples allow more rapid analysis than serum samples, but preliminary studies showed lower cardiac troponin T (cTnT) results in plasma. We undertook a multicenter study to characterize this effect for cTnT and cardiac troponin I (cTnI). Methods: Blood samples were collected with and without heparin at five hospitals. cTnT was measured by a “third generation” assay (Elecsys®), and cTnI was measured by a commercial immunoassay (IMMULITE®). Results: Mean cTnT was 15% lower in heparin sampling tubes than in serum. Measured concentrations of cardiac troponins also decreased with increasing heparin concentrations added to sera. Heparin-induced losses were greater in early than in late phases after onset of chest pain. Addition of heparin (∼100 IU/mL) to serial samples from nine acute myocardial infarction patients produced mean cTnT losses of 33% at 1–12 h after onset of chest pain, 17% at 13–48 h, and 7% after 48 h. The changing heparin effects were seen for both cTnT and cTnI during time courses of individual patients with myocardial infarction. Conclusion: We suggest that binding of heparin to troponins decreases immunoreactivity, especially in early phases of myocardial injury. The resulting losses may depend on the antibodies used in each troponin assay.