Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) elevation is common in an acute episode of supraventricular tachycardia (SVT). However, there is limited evidence regarding the prognostic value of cTnI and the predictors of SVT recurrence in pediatric patients. We screened the electronic medical records of all pediatric patients presenting to the emergency departments at five Taiwanese hospitals from 1 January 2010 to 31 May 2021. Our primary outcomes were the occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) during the follow-up period and 30-day SVT recurrence. A total of 112 patients were included in our study. Of these, 29 (25.9%) patients had positive cTnI values. Patients with cTnI elevation had significantly more complaints of dyspnea (27.6% vs. 7.2%, p = 0.008) and gastrointestinal discomfort (24.1% vs. 4.8%, p = 0.006). There were significantly more intensive care unit admissions (41.4% vs. 16.9%, p = 0.007) among the cTnI-positive group. One MACE was found in the cTnI-negative group. For 30-day SVT recurrence, the cTnI-positive group had a higher recurrence rate, without a statistically significant difference (20.7% vs. 7.2%, p = 0.075). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed hypotension as an independent predictor of 30-day SVT recurrence (OR = 4.98; Cl 1.02-24.22; p = 0.047). Troponin had low value for predicting the outcomes of pediatric patients with SVT. The only significant predictor for recurrent SVT was initial hypotension.
Keywords: cardiac troponin; emergency department; pediatric patients; supraventricular tachycardia.