Acute myocardial infraction (AMI) is a necrosis of myocardial cells caused by coronary artery thrombosis. To confirm diagnosis, different criteria must be met, for example: increase/decrease of troponin, ischaemic changes in ECG, symptoms of ischaemia. Troponin is released from necrotic myocardial cells, its concentration increases 6 to 9 hours after ischaemia. Copeptin is released as endocrine stress response, it peaks in the first hour after chest pain onset. Because of different pathophysiology and release time frame both markers compliment each other diagnosticly. With this thesis, we want to find out if troponin I and copeptin determination as dual marker startegy is safe to use in routine. We chose 240 samples with predetermined high sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) values for copeptin levels measurement. For the group with AMI were chosen patients with non-ST-elevation myocardial infraction (NSTEMI), ST-elevation myocardial infraction (STEMI) and type 2 AMI. Patients with troponin lower than reference values where AMI was ruled out, were placed in control group. Firstly, we compared values of troponin and copeptin between groups with AMI and control group. Results of Mann – Whitney U test showed there was no statistical difference in copeptin values between groups NSTEMI and STEMI compared to control group, but difference was proved for group with type 2 AMI. On the contrary, significant difference was proven in troponin values between all groups with AMI compared to control group. Next, we compered troponin and copeptin values in different groups. Significant difference was proven in all groups with AMI against control group, troponin values tend to be higher. There was no difference between troponin and copeptin values in control group. Troponin has high specificity and sensitivity, while copeptin has much lower sensitivity and specificity. Addition of copeptin to troponin improves specificity. Troponin alone has good negative predictive value (NPV) and it improves with addition of copeptin. Positive predictive value (PPV) for both markers is lower. Both NPV and PPV for copeptin are low. In conclusion, we can safely rule out AMI for patients with troponin and copeptin values lower than reference values. Copeptin improves diagnostic value of troponin which gives us good basis for further research.
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