Objectives Cardiac involvement in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) is often subclinical but associated with poor prognosis. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic utility of cardiac troponin T (cTnT) for identifying myocardial involvement in IIM, using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging. Methods One hundred and sixteen IIM patients underwent clinical evaluation, laboratory tests, electrocardiogram (ECG), and CMR. The diagnostic performance of cTnT was assessed using receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves, while linear regression was used to explore associations between cTnT and myocardial involvement markers. Results Myocardial involvement, detected by late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) on CMR, was present in 63.8% of patients. Those with cardiac involvement exhibited significantly elevated cTnT levels (> 157.85 ng/L), which correlated with native T1, native T2, and extracellular volume (ECV) values. The cTnT threshold of 157.85 ng/L demonstrated sensitivity and specificity of 62.2% and 92.9%, respectively. Conclusion Elevated cTnT levels (> 157.85 ng/L) are associated with cardiac involvement in IIM patients and could serve as a valuable non-invasive biomarker for early detection, particularly in subclinical cases. Further investigations are warranted to refine its clinical applicability.<Table Float="No" ID="Taba"> <tgroup cols="2"> <colspec align="left" colname="c1" colnum="1" /> <colspec align="left" colname="c2" colnum="2" /> <tbody> <row> <entry nameend="c2" namest="c1"> Key Points • A specific cTnT threshold (> 157.85 ng/L) demonstrates high sensitivity (62.2%) and specificity (92.9%) for identifying cardiac involvement. • Utilization of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) as a reference standard enhances diagnostic accuracy for subclinical myocardial injury. • Findings support cTnT as a practical, non-invasive screening tool, guiding early detection and management of cardiac involvement in IIM. </entry> </row> </tbody> </tgroup> </Table>

Cardiac trop T not trop I is a predictor of myocardial injury in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies

期刊论文
发表日期：

2026年4月6日

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Yuhan Peng,
Dongyu Li,
Zhangdi Zhou,
Wangyan Liu,
Xiaoxuan Sun

摘要

Objectives

Cardiac involvement in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) is often subclinical but associated with poor prognosis. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic utility of cardiac troponin T (cTnT) for identifying myocardial involvement in IIM, using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging.

Methods

One hundred and sixteen IIM patients underwent clinical evaluation, laboratory tests, electrocardiogram (ECG), and CMR. The diagnostic performance of cTnT was assessed using receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves, while linear regression was used to explore associations between cTnT and myocardial involvement markers.

Results

Myocardial involvement, detected by late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) on CMR, was present in 63.8% of patients. Those with cardiac involvement exhibited significantly elevated cTnT levels (> 157.85 ng/L), which correlated with native T1, native T2, and extracellular volume (ECV) values. The cTnT threshold of 157.85 ng/L demonstrated sensitivity and specificity of 62.2% and 92.9%, respectively.

Conclusion

Elevated cTnT levels (> 157.85 ng/L) are associated with cardiac involvement in IIM patients and could serve as a valuable non-invasive biomarker for early detection, particularly in subclinical cases. Further investigations are warranted to refine its clinical applicability.

Key Points

• A specific cTnT threshold (> 157.85 ng/L) demonstrates high sensitivity (62.2%) and specificity (92.9%) for identifying cardiac involvement.

• Utilization of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) as a reference standard enhances diagnostic accuracy for subclinical myocardial injury.

• Findings support cTnT as a practical, non-invasive screening tool, guiding early detection and management of cardiac involvement in IIM.