Cardiac troponin I release and cytokine response during experimental human endotoxaemia.

Objective: To study the relationship between cytokine levels and cardiac troponin I (cTnI).
Design: Prospective experimental study.
Setting: Intensive care unit of a university hospital.
Participants: Six healthy male volunteers. INTERVENTIONS. Endotoxin, 4 ng/kg, was given as a 1-min intravenous infusion.
Measurements and Results: Circulating cardiac troponin I levels and proinflammatory cytokines tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) were analysed at various time points during a 24-h period. TNF-alpha appeared in the circulation 30 min after injection (T=0.5 h), reaching peak levels (5,665+/-1,910 pg/ml) 2 h after infusion. At T=24 h TNF-alpha was still elevated in the circulation compared to T=0. None of the six volunteers had a cTnI value higher than 0.1 microg/l at T=0, 6 h or 24 h.
Conclusion: The presence of significant amounts of TNF-alpha, IL-6 and IL-8 in the systemic circulation does not lead to increased levels of cTnI in experimental human endotoxaemia.