Of 105 asymptomatic finishers of endurance competitive events lasting several hours, increased blood concentrations of cardiac troponins T and I above the 99% upper reference values were found in 24 and 34 subjects, respectively; N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide was also significantly increased. Within 3 months after the events, 21 troponin-positive participants underwent an extensive cardiac examination, which in all but 1 (critical coronary heart disease) revealed no signs of persistent cardiac damage.
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