Serum troponin I measurement of subjects exposed to the Taser X-26®

The Taser(R) is a high-voltage, low-amperage conducted energy device used by many law enforcement agencies as a less lethal force weapon. The objective of this study was to evaluate for a rise in serum troponin I level after deployment of the Taser(R) on law enforcement training volunteers. A prospective, observational cohort study was performed evaluating serum troponin I levels in human subjects 6 h after an exposure to the Taser X-26(R). Outcome measures included abnormal elevation in serum troponin I level (> 0.2 ng/mL). There were 66 subjects evaluated. The mean shock duration was 4.36 s (range 1.2-5 s). None of the subjects had a positive troponin I level 6 Ill after exposure. It was concluded that human volunteers exposed to a single shock from the Taser(R) did not develop an abnormal serum troponin I level 6 h after shock, suggesting that there was no myocardial necrosis or infaretion. (R) 2008 Elsevier Inc.