Background and Purpose--The prognostic value of cardiac troponins and natriuretic peptide in acute ischemic stroke is uncertain. We measured cardiac troponin T (cTnT), cardiac troponin I (cTnI), and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) at admission in acute ischemic stroke patients without evident myocardial damage.

Methods--In 174 consecutive patients with MRI-confirmed ischemic stroke, serial measurements of cTnT, cTnI, and NT-proBNP were performed at 3 different time points in the hyperacute phase (at admission, on days 1 and 2). Relation of laboratory values to risk factors, stroke subtype classification, and clinical outcome after 3 months was analyzed.

Results--The highest proportion of raised parameters was found at day 2 for cTnI in 8 of 103 (7.8%), at day 3 for cTnT in 8 of 174 (4.6%), and NT-proBNP in 114 of 174 (65.5%) patients. Proportion of patients with good outcome was significantly reduced in the group with highest NT-proBNP quartile. However, using multivariate regression analysis, no significant relation to morbidity and mortality was found for cTnT, cTnI, or NT-proBNP. Significant impact on the outcome was detected for lesion size, insular involvement, sex, age, and stroke severity.

Conclusions--NT-proBNP is raised in nearly two thirds of acute stroke patients, whereas elevated cardiac troponins are found only in a small number of acute ischemic stroke patients. Neither NT-proBNP nor cardiac troponins influence clinical outcome if other risk factors are considered.