The following is a summary of “Clinical performance of 0/1 h cardiac troponin algorithm for diagnosing non–STEMI in an emergency setting,” published in the September 2023 issue of Emergency Medicine by Gou, et al.

For a prospective observational cohort study conducted at Shaanxi Provincial People’s Hospital, researchers assessed the analytical and diagnostic performance of the Roche Modular E170 high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) assay, employing the 0-hour/1-hour algorithm alongside the Radiometer AQT90-flex point-of-care testing (POCT) cTnT assay. 

The research focused on patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with undifferentiated chest pain, a critical context demanding swift and accurate diagnosis for non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). Blood samples were collected at baseline and after 1 hour, with simultaneous measurement of hs-cTnT and POCT cTnI levels.

Results indicated that the POCT cTnT assay, using the 0-hour/1-hour algorithm, demonstrated diagnostic accuracy comparable to the laboratory-based Roche Modular E170 hs-cTnT assay for NSTEMI diagnosis in chest pain patients. The study highlighted the reliability and accuracy of the laboratory-based assay in this context, providing crucial insights into its effectiveness in diagnosing NSTEMI. Furthermore, the POCT cTnT assay exhibited a rapid turnaround time, enhancing its utility in expediting the diagnostic workup for patients with chest pain in the ED.

The study contributed valuable knowledge to the ongoing discussion surrounding the diagnostic approaches for NSTEMI, emphasizing the potential role of laboratory-based and POCT assays in enhancing patient care and outcomes in the emergency setting.

Source: sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0735675723003327