Abstract 20: Are We Ready for High(er) Sensitivity Troponin Assays? The Positive Predictive Value of a Contemporary Troponin Assay for Acute Myocardial Infarction

Background: Patients with elevated troponin (cTn) in the absence of Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) present a diagnostic dilemma: they at high risk of adverse cardiac events, yet there is little evidence on how they should be managed clinically. In recent years, greater sensitivity of cTn assays and less selective use of cTn in clinical practice have led to a greater number of non-AMI patients with elevated troponin. The exact scope of the problem in routine clinical practice is not known, as published estimates of troponin’s positive predictive value (PPV) for AMI range from 15% to 70%. We sought to define troponin’s PPV for AMI at our institution and examine both process and outcome measures for AMI and non-AMI patients. Methods: In a retrospective cohort analysis of patients evaluated at the University of Colorado Hospital, we identified 5,903 hospital encounters between January 1, 2017 and October 6, 2018 in which patients were found to have an elevated serum troponin level (>0.04 ng/mL, Siemens Adv...