The Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) recommends performing daily troponin testing on postoperative days 0 through 3 for noncardiac surgical patients to decrease the mortality rate due to myocardial injury. Indications for testing include:

->65 yo

-45-64 yo with significant cardiovascular disease

-a Revised Cardiac Risk Index score (RCRI) > 1

Troponin elevation > 30 ng/L is termed “myocardial injury after noncardiac surgery” (MINS).

The study objective was to determine the prognostic relevance of applying CCS recommendations.

669 patients undergoing THA were included in the study. Based on the CCS recommendation there were 4 patient Groups depending on whether or not they met the MINS screening protocol criteria and whether or not it was applied:

-A - met & applied (n=181)

-B - met & not applied (n=248)

-C – not met & applied (n=10)

-D – not met & not applied (n=230)

307 (45.8%) males and 363 (54.2%) females with an average age of 67.8 years were included. Group A- 24% incidence (43 patients) of troponin rise & 5% incidence (9 patients) of cardiac complications. Group B- 0.4% incidence (1 patient) of cardiac complications.

Groups A + B – representing all patients who should have had the MINS screening protocol applied according to the CCS recommendations − 10 (2.3%) patients developed cardiac complication and one (0.2%) patient death

MINS screening protocol group (A & C) LOS was 4.0 days compared to 1.4 days for those not screened (p-value: <0.001).

Applying the CCS MINS screening protocol to elective THA patients added no benefit in predicting/preventing postoperative cardiac events but was associated with a significant increase in LOS. Following current CCS recommendations without more specifications and clinical evidence is unwarranted.