Myhre PL, Claggett B, Ballantyne CM, et al. - Researchers investigated how high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) concentrations are associated with left ventricular systolic and diastolic functions, and risk of heart failure. The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study, an ongoing epidemiologic cohort study in US communities, was analyzed and its participants without cardiovascular disease (n = 4,111) were included. Findings revealed worse diastolic function but not systolic function in correlation with a greater concentration of hs-cTnT; this was observed independent of left ventricular mass. A substantial proportion of the heart failure risk is related with left ventricular diastolic function, and there is an association of preserved ejection fraction with greater hs-cTnT concentrations. Findings thereby emphasize the value of elevated troponin concentrations as an early marker of subclinical alterations in cardiac structure and diastolic function that predispose a person to develop heart failure.