Cardiac Biomarkers in Pediatrics: Difference between revisions

From Guide to YKHC Medical Practices

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# Knowing the diagnostic-cutoff for the disease in question, as well as the associated sensitivity and specificity.
# Knowing the diagnostic-cutoff for the disease in question, as well as the associated sensitivity and specificity.
*False-positive interpretation of cardiac biomarkers frequently leads to unnecessary invasive testing, which is itself a harm, but also carries a non-negligible risk of additional harm (i.e. procedural complications).
*False-positive interpretation of cardiac biomarkers frequently leads to unnecessary invasive testing, which is itself a harm, but also carries a non-negligible risk of additional harm (i.e. procedural complications).
*If a consultant recommends ordering a troponin or BNP in one of these age groups, the consulting provider should inquire about the cut-off, the sensitivity, and the specificity; if the consultant cannot provide this information, further research and/or additional consultants should be strongly considered prior to ordering these tests.  There is very little clinical utility to a test result which no one knows how to interpret, and there is a risk of harm from a test result which is likely to be misinterpreted.
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Author[s]:
;Keywords:
: Andrew W. Swartz, MD
:Cardiac Biomarker Troponin BNP Pediatric Neonate Infant Toddler Child Adolescant


Reviewer[s]:
;Author[s]:
: Leslie Herrmann, MD
:Andrew W. Swartz, MD
 
;Reviewer[s]:
:Leslie Herrmann, MD

Revision as of 17:46, 18 January 2022


Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF):

  • Compared to healthy adults, the serum troponin and BNP levels in healthy neonates, infant, and children have normal ranges with 90th and 99th percentiles up to two orders of magnitude greater.
  • Though studies have begun to quantify the normal ranges in these pediatric populations, as of January 2022, no diagnostic cutoffs have been validated (or even proposed).
  • Indeed, considering the markedly higher normal ranges, and as argued by Assandro et al in 2013,[1] these cardiac biomarkers may lack the ability to distinguish disease from non-disease in some (or all) of these age groups.
  • No one should order a cardiac biomarker in these age groups with the intent to rule-in or rule-out disease without:
  1. Evidence that the marker can distinguish disease from non-disease (i.e. the associated AUROC) in the age group in question.
  2. Knowing the diagnostic-cutoff for the disease in question, as well as the associated sensitivity and specificity.
  • False-positive interpretation of cardiac biomarkers frequently leads to unnecessary invasive testing, which is itself a harm, but also carries a non-negligible risk of additional harm (i.e. procedural complications).
  • If a consultant recommends ordering a troponin or BNP in one of these age groups, the consulting provider should inquire about the cut-off, the sensitivity, and the specificity; if the consultant cannot provide this information, further research and/or additional consultants should be strongly considered prior to ordering these tests. There is very little clinical utility to a test result which no one knows how to interpret, and there is a risk of harm from a test result which is likely to be misinterpreted.





TROPONIN

BNP

REFERENCES

  1. Assandro P, Vidoni M, Starc M, Barbi E. Troponin T should not be considered as a screening test for pediatric myocarditis. Pediatr Emerg Care. 2013 Aug;29(8):955. doi: 10.1097/PEC.0b013e31829eca1d. PMID: 23925259.



Keywords
Cardiac Biomarker Troponin BNP Pediatric Neonate Infant Toddler Child Adolescant
Author[s]
Andrew W. Swartz, MD
Reviewer[s]
Leslie Herrmann, MD