Smoking affects cardiac troponin complex even after cessation: AHA

Norway: In a new study, it was shown that current and past cigarette smoking is related to reduced high-sensitivity assays (hs‐cTnI) concentrations in the general population. Time since smoking cessation was related to rising hs-cTnI concentrations, showing a hs-cTnI continuum from current smokers to never-smokers. This study was conducted by Julia Brox Skranes and team, the results of which were published in the Journal of American Heart Association.

Cardiac troponins are a sensitive indicator of subclinical myocardial damage and have been linked to an elevated risk of cardiovascular events in the general population. Despite both cardiac troponins and cigarette smoking having positive links with cardiovascular risk, hs-cTnI show that concentrations of cardiac troponin I are lower in current smokers than in never smokers. The effect of smoking intensity and duration since quitting on hscTnI is unclear.

For this study, hs-cTnI concentrations were assessed in 32028 healthy participants included in the prospective, population-based HUNT (Trndelag Health Study). Tobacco use was self-reported, and participants were categorized as never (n=14 559), past (n=14 248), or current (n=3221) smokers.

The key findings of this study were as follow:

1. Current smokers had considerably lower hs-cTnI concentrations than never-smokers.

2. Both present and past smoking were associated with considerably decreased hs-cTnI concentrations in adjusted models.

3. Higher smoking load (>10 packyears) was related to reduced hscTnI concentrations in ex-smokers.

4. Time since smoking cessation was linked with increased hscTnI concentrations in a dose-dependent way, and participants who quit smoking >30 years ago had hscTnI concentrations equivalent to never smokers.

In conclusion, from the findings of this study it is very evident that even when people stop smoking, the consequences of the habit continue to have an impact on the cardiac troponin complex. Hence people should be warned and educated up to this level that they may be able to restrain themselves thereby sparing the non-smokers as well.

Reference:

Skranes JB, Lyngbakken MN, Hveem K, Røsjø H, Omland T. Tobacco Consumption and High-Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin I in the General Population: The HUNT Study. J Am Heart Assoc. 2022 Jan 18;11(2):e021776. doi:10.1161/JAHA.121.021776.