SummaryIt has previously been reported that cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is useful in predicting the postoperative course after cardiac surgery, and that elevated serum cTnI levels are associated with increased in-hospital mortality. However, these findings have been reported in heterogeneous groups of cardiac surgical procedures. In the current study, the usefulness of postoperative cTnI measurements for the prediction of patient outcomes in a specific group of cardiac surgical procedures was determined, with the analysis limited to patients undergoing mitral valve surgery. The results of cTnI measurements were compared with postoperative creatine kinase-myocardial band fraction (CK-MB) levels.A total of 24 patients who underwent mitral valve surgery from July 2004 to April 2009 were retrospectively studied. Serum cTnI and CK-MB levels were measured on postoperative day (POD) 0 (immediately after surgery), and on POD 1, 2, and 3. The relationship between serum cTnI and CK-MB levels, cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time, aorta cross-clamping (AoC) time, and the length of ICU stay and postoperative hospital stay (POHS) were evaluated.CPB and AoC time influenced postoperative cTnI and CK-MB levels. Values of cTnI on POD 1 and POD 2 were significantly correlated with the length of ICU stay, whereas only the CK-MB level on POD 2 was significantly correlated with the length of ICU stay. In addition, the cTnI levels on POD 1 and POD 2 were significantly correlated with POHS, however, there was no relationship between postoperative CK-MB levels and POHS.Postoperative cTnI measurements are more useful than CK-MB measurements in predicting the postoperative course of a patient following mitral valve surgery. (Int Heart J 2010; 51: 166-169) Key words: Troponin I, Creatine kinase-myocardial band fraction (CK-MB), Mitral valve surgery C ardiac troponin, along with creatine kinase (CK) and its myocardial band fraction (CK-MB), are proteins which are released from damaged cardiomyocytes into the interstitial space. 1) They reach the peripheral circulation either by crossing the walls of myocardial capillaries or by diffusing through the epicardium into the pericardial cavity.2,3) Troponin levels are recognized as a sensitive and specific marker for cardiac injury. They are reported to be more accurate than CK-MB levels for the diagnosis of myocardial infarction (MI), and may also provide more useful prognostic information. 4) In particular, serum cardiac troponin I (cTnI) levels are more sensitive than CK-MB levels for detection of minor ischemic myocardial injury in patients with small increases in total CK, and in addition may avoid the high incidence of false positives associated with the use of CK-MB as a diagnostic marker in perioperative MI.5) Some investigators have reported that cTnI is also useful in predicting the postoperative course after cardiac surgery, and that elevated serum cTnI levels are associated with increased in-hospital mortality.6,7) However, these reports included several different types of cardiac surgery...