Sixth Generation High-sensitivity Cardiac Troponin T for the Early Rule Out of Myocardial Infarction: a Controlled Before and After Study

Summary

Cardiac troponin is a protein released into the blood when the heart muscle is damaged. Measuring this protein helps doctors diagnose a heart attack (also called a myocardial infarction). Modern blood tests, known as high-sensitivity cardiac troponin assays, can detect very small amounts of this protein.

A new version of this test, called Troponin T high-sensitivity Gen 6, has recently been developed and approved for use. It is designed to be more accurate and reliable, detecting smaller changes in troponin levels and being less affected by technical interference. The investigators believe this improved test will allow doctors to diagnose heart attacks more quickly and decide sooner who needs to stay in hospital and who can safely go home. This could help reduce overcrowding in Accident and Emergency (A\&E) departments, a major challenge for the NHS.

This study will examine whether switching to this new test across a health board shortens the time patients with suspected heart attacks spend in the Emergency Department. The investigators will use information from the DataLoch Heart Disease Registry, which automatically collects anonymised hospital data for patients attending with possible heart attacks. The investigators will compare data from one year before and one year after implementation to see whether average length of stay changes and to confirm that patient safety remains high. This investigators will also measure both the current and new versions of the troponin test in surplus blood samples collected during two six-month periods-one before and one after the new test is introduced. This will allows the investigators to directly compare the two tests reliably.

Patients will not need to do anything extra to take part - the study uses information and samples already collected as part of their usual care.

Conditions

• Myocardial Infarction

Interventions

DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

sixth-generation high sensitivity cardiac troponin T assay

Elecsys Troponin T hs Gen 6 is an immunoassay for the in vitro quantitative determination of cardiac troponin T in human serum and plasma, that can be used as an aid in the differential diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome to identify necrosis, e.g. acute myocardial infarction (AMI). In contrast to the previous generation of the assay (Elecsys Troponin T hs), the Gen 6 assay has been standardised against recombinant human cardiac troponin T, and has been demonstrated to have greater analytical precision and resistance to interference.

DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

fifth-generation high sensitivity cardiac troponin T assay

Elecsys Troponin T Gen 5 is an immunoassay for the in vitro quantitative determination of cardiac troponin T in human serum and plasma, that can be used as an aid in the differential diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome to identify necrosis, e.g. acute myocardial infarction (AMI). It is the most widely used high-sensitivity troponin assay globally.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Roche Diagnostic Ltd.

  collaborator INDUSTRY

• University of Edinburgh

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Andrew R Chapman, MD PhD · University of Edinburgh

Study Design

Allocation

NON_RANDOMIZED

Purpose

DIAGNOSTIC

Masking

NONE

Model

SEQUENTIAL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-06-01

Primary Completion

2028-05-31

Completion

2029-05-31

Countries

• United Kingdom

Study Locations