Concentration-Dependent Clinical and Prognostic Importance of High-Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin T in Heart Failure and a Reduced Ejection Fraction and the Influence of Empagliflozin: the EMPEROR-Reduced Trial.

Background Circulating troponin is an important measure of risk in patients with heart failure, but it has not been used to determine if disease severity influences the responses to drug treatments in randomized controlled trials. Methods In the EMPEROR-Reduced trial, patients with class II-IV heart failure and a reduced ejection fraction were randomly assigned to placebo or empagliflozin 10 mg daily and followed for the occurrence of serious heart failure and renal events. High-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) was measured in 3636 patients (> 97%) at baseline, and patients were divided into four groups based on the degree of troponin elevation. Results With increasing concentrations of hs-cTnT, patients were progressively more likely to have diabetes and atrial fibrillation, to have New York Heart Association class III-IV symptoms and been hospitalized for heart failure within the prior year, and to have elevated levels of natriuretic peptides and worse renal function (P-trend Conclusions Elevations in hs-cTnT reflect the clinical severity, stability and prognosis of patients with heart failure and a reduced ejection fraction, with biomarkers, comorbidities, clinical course and risks that are proportional to the magnitude of hs-cTnT elevation. Empagliflozin exerted favorable effects on heart failure and renal outcomes, regardless of the baseline concentration of hs-cTnT.