Responses
Other responses
Jump to comment:
- Published on: 26 September 2019
- Published on: 26 September 2019raising the index of suspicion for pulmonary embolism in LBBB-associated troponinosis
Given the fact that acute myocardial infarction(AMI)(1), left bundle branch block(LBBB)(2), and pulmonary embolism(PE), are all age-related disorders, the authors of the recent study correctly highlighted the importance of including PE in the differential diagnosis of the association of suspected AMI and LBBB(2). For the purpose of identifying those patients who are most likely to have AMI the authors proposed the use of serum troponin as a rule-in criterion during the first 3 hours of hospital admission . By implication the inclusion of PE in the differential diagnosis should be deferred for at least 3 hours, and only activated in patients who do not have a raised serum troponin level.
Show More
However, in view of the fact that elevation in serum troponin may be a feature in the presentation of PE(4), and also in view of the fact that transient LBBB has been reported in a 59 year old patient with PE(5), the latter disorder should be included in the differential diagnosis of the association of acute coronary syndrome and LBBB. In the 59 year old patient who was reported with PE and LBBB, serial troponin levels were 0.38, 0.41, and 1.12 ng/ml(reference range 0-0.04)(5), arguably justifying early coronary angiography(2). That patient had neither pleuritic pain nor breathlessness to raise the index of suspicion for PE. Coronary angiography ruled out coronary artery occlusion, and helical computed tomography revealed extensive PE involving the main branches of both pul...Conflict of Interest:
None declared.