Perioperative ST-segment depression and troponin T release. Identification of patients with highest risk for myocardial damage.

Background: Patients undergoing major vascular surgery are at constant risk of developing perioperative myocardial complications, especially myocardial infarction. The following study was performed to answer the question whether ST segment changes, analysed by Holter monitoring and ST segment analysis, are accompanied by release of cardiac troponin T, a highly specific marker of myocardial damage. Methods: Tventy patients undergoing elective aortic resection were studied by performing Holter ECG, including ST segment analysis, beginning on the evening before surgery until the third postoperative day. Within this period serum levels of cardiac troponin T were determined at 8 timepoints. Results: A total of 8/20 of the patients (40%) showed significant ST depressions (range −0.17/−0.68 mV), without any clinical symptom, with a median of 9 episodes (range 2–24). In 3 of the 8 patients, each with repetitive periods of ST depression, elevated troponin T levels were found (0.45/0.52/1.69 μg/l). No troponin T release nor cardiac events were noticed in the remaining patients. No dependancy could be found between troponin T release and the magnitude of ST depression or the number of ST depression episodes. Conclusion: Haemodynamic changes, oxygen imbalance and stress during major vascular surgery frequently lead to an ischaemic burden, which is indicated by ST segment changes during ECG ST analysis. Longlasting ST depression reaching an individual critical cut-off limit followed by structural myocardial damage may be verified by elevated levels of cardiac troponin T. Prolonged periods of ST depression should be followed by determination of cardiac troponin T.