Septic shock and troponin i: Are they in a relationship?

Abstract

Sepsis is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients admitted to intensive care unit (ICU). Cardiac dysfunction is present in nearly 70% of these patients and can present as hemodynamic instability, high cardiac biomarkers, arrhythmias or end organ damage.1 Cardiac troponins are recognized prognosticators in myocardial infarction. Troponins have been shown to be very sensitive and specific in predicting prognosis for patients with acute ischaemic stroke, pulmonary embolism and subarachnoid hemorrhage.2,3 This concept has now been extrapolated to prognosticate in patients with severe sepsis and septic shock, since there is no biomarker as yet which can accurately predict the outcome of patients with septic shock.