Cardiometabolic risk factors and their effect on cardiac biomarkers in myocardial infarction: Clinical insights from Iraq

Background: Myocardial infarction refers to the death of the heart muscle tissue due to the sudden cessation of coronary blood flow. This condition stems from reduced blood supply to the heart, leading to increased mortality and morbidity rates. Cardiac troponin-1 (cTnI) and CK serve as specific indicators of myocardial damage.

Methods: This study was conducted between September 2024 and March 2025. Our study included 81 patients, comprising 51 with acute myocardial infarction (MI), and the results were compared with those of 30 healthy individuals.

Results: Age showed a positive and statistically significant correlation with triglyceride (TG), troponin, and CK levels. The Pearson correlation for age with TG is 0.430 (p = 0.047), for troponin it is 0.75 (p = 0.007), and for CK it is 0.47 (p = 0.048). The majority of patients in this study were aged between 51 and 60 years, indicating the prevalence of AMI. The study also showed a correlation between age and Troponin I levels in 51–60-year-olds, a correlation between age and TG in > 60-year-olds, and a correlation between age and CK in > 60-year-olds. Diabetic complications were most common among both male and female patients. Smoking was the second most common risk factor among men.

Conclusion: These findings suggest that, as age increases, the levels of TG, troponin, and CK also tend to increase in patients with AMI. There was no significant correlation between TG and the enzyme markers. Future markers may further enhance the diagnosis, prognosis, and predictive capabilities.