Clinical utility and prognostic significance of measuring troponin I levels in patients presenting to the emergency room with atrial fibrillation.

Background: The clinical significance of mildly elevated troponins in patients presenting to the emergency room (ER) with atrial fibrillation (AF) is not well understood.

Hypothesis: We hypothesized that mildly elevated troponin in these patients is associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes.

Methods: In a multi-center, retrospective study, 662 patients with AF were divided into 3 groups based on troponin levels: group 1, mildly elevated; group 2, normal; and group 3, troponin not measured.