Myocardial infarction (MI) with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) is a recently recognized condition where biomarkers and prognosis are less well studied than in MI with obstructive coronary artery disease (MI-CAD). We therefore aimed to investigate the one-year prognostic value of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) levels in MINOCA in comparison to MI-CAD.

In this registry-based cohort study, we used data from patients with a discharge diagnosis of MI, admitted between 2009 and 2013 to Swedish hospitals using the hs-cTnT assay. Only patients without previously known coronary artery disease were considered. Patients with and without coronary stenosis >50% were regarded to have MI-CAD and MINOCA, respectively. Assessed outcomes included all-cause mortality, cardiovascular (CV) mortality and major CV events (MACE), defined as the composite of CV death or admissions for non-fatal MI, heart failure (HF) or ischemic stroke.

The study cohort consisted of 1639 MINOCA and 17,304 MI-CAD patients. In adjusted analyses, hs-cTnT (ln) in MINOCA patients predicted all-cause mortality (HR 1.32 [95% CI 1.11-1.56]), CV mortality (HR 2.11 [95% CI 1.51-2.96]) and MACE (HR 1.44 [95% CI 1.20-1.72]). Hs-cTnT (ln) also predicted readmissions for HF (HR 1.51 [95% CI 1.51-2.96]) but not non-fatal MI or stroke. Interaction analyses suggested that hs-cTnT (ln) was at least as prognostic in patients with MINOCA compared to MI-CAD.

Hs-cTnT levels in MINOCA patients are strong and independent predictors of adverse outcome. Consideration of hs-cTnT levels is important for risk assessment of MINOCA patients.