The D-Dimer to Troponin Ratio Is a Novel Marker for the Differential Diagnosis of Thoracic Acute Aortic Syndrome from Non-ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Abstract

Background: Thoracic acute aortic syndrome (AAS) and non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) have similar clinical presentations, making them difficult to differentiate. This study aimed to identify useful biomarkers for the differential diagnosis of thoracic AAS and NSTEMI.Methods: This was a retrospective observational study. Participants: consecutive adult patients who visited the emergency department for acute chest pain between January 2015 and December 2021 diagnosed with thoracic AAS or NSTEMI. Clinical variables, including D-dimer (mu g/mL) and high-sensitivity troponin T (ng/mL, hs-TnT) levels, were compared between the groups.Results: A total of 52 (30.1%) and 121 (69.9%) patients were enrolled in the thoracic AAS and NSTEMI groups, respectively. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the D-dimer to hs-TnT (D/T) ratio (odds ratio (OR), 1.038; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.020-1.056; p < 0.001) and the thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) score (OR, 0.184; 95% CI, 0.054-0.621; p = 0.006) were associated with thoracic AAS. The D/T ratio had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.973 (95% CI, 0.930-0.998), and the optimal cutoff value was 81.3 with 91.4% sensitivity and 96.2% specificity. The TIMI score had an AUC of 0.769 (95% CI, 0.644-0.812), and the optimal cutoff value was 1.5 with 96.7% sensitivity and 38.5% specificity.Conclusion: the D/T ratio may be a simple and useful parameter for differentiating thoracic AAS from NSTEMI.