Study of Postmortem Pericardial Fluid Concentrations of Troponin T (cTnT) in Sudden Natural Death

Abstract

Background: Cardiovascular diseases are the most common cause of sudden natural deaths. Cardiac troponin T is a specific biochemical marker of myocardial injury. It may help in diagnosis of early myocardial ischemia when macroscopic or microscopic evidence of necrosis is not available after autopsy. Aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of pericardial fluid troponin T in predicting the cause of death in sudden natural death and in estimating the post mortem interval. Materials and methods: It was a pilot study. Sudden natural deaths brought to Forensic Medicine department of GMCH Nagpur for autopsy were included in this observational cross sectional study. Deaths were grouped into cardiac and non cardiac deaths. Pericardial fluid samples were collected by opening pericardial sac with sterile syringe and processed on Roche Cobas e411 autoanalyzer for estimation of levels of Troponin T. Results: There was a statistically significant difference seen for the values between the groups (p<0.05) for Trop-T (ng/ml) with higher values in Cardiac cause. There was a statistically non significant correlation between postmortem interval vs Trop T (p>0.05). Conclusion: Estimation of pericardial fluid Troponin-T may be used to predict the cause of death in sudden natural death.