Thorax. 2026 Mar 27:thorax-2025-224120. doi: 10.1136/thorax-2025-224120. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
Elevated troponin I (TnI) has been reported in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) without cardiovascular disease (CVD), suggesting non-ischaemic mechanisms. We assessed this association in a population-based cohort of 22 526 individuals without known CVD or significant coronary artery calcification. TnI showed no association with COPD (adjusted OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.60 to 1.26; highest category vs below limit of detection) or with forced expiratory volume in 1 s/forced vital capacity (adjusted difference 0.002, 95% CI -0.001 to 0.004). Median TnI was 2.2 ng/L in both obstructive and non-obstructive groups. These findings do not support a pulmonary source of TnI elevation in mild to moderate, stable COPD and suggest that TnI elevations should prompt cardiovascular evaluation rather than being attributed to pulmonary disease alone.
PMID:41895854 | DOI:10.1136/thorax-2025-224120