Original contribution
Serum Troponin I Measurement of Subjects Exposed to the Taser X-26®

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jemermed.2007.08.073Get rights and content

Abstract

The Taser® 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® 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®. 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 h after exposure. It was concluded that human volunteers exposed to a single shock from the Taser® did not develop an abnormal serum troponin I level 6 h after shock, suggesting that there was no myocardial necrosis or infarction.

Introduction

The Taser® is a weapon that delivers high-voltage, low-amperage electricity in a pulsed waveform and is representative of the group of less lethal weapons known as conducted energy devices (CEDs). Although generally regarded as safe, there is little research on the effects of these devices in the medical literature despite deaths reported in proximity to CED use. These deaths have drawn wide media and lay public attention, raising questions regarding the overall safety of CEDs as less lethal devices (1, 2, 3).

Although deaths have been associated with the device's use (so-called “proximity deaths”), no direct causal link has yet been identified. Recent studies have aimed to identify potential physiologic consequences of a CED application (primarily in animals, but also in human trials) (4, 5, 6, 7, 8). Because these devices deliver a high-voltage electrical discharge to the body, some have suggested that CEDs may cause cardiac injury that could lead to sudden death (9). Animal studies have drawn equivocal conclusions as to the cardiac effect of these devices (5, 6). Our group has previously reported on the effect of CEDs in human subjects, finding no significant cardiac dysrhythmias immediately after a CED application (8). For the current study, we hypothesized that a Taser X-26® discharge would not result in myocardial injury as measured by a rise in the cardiac enzyme troponin I 6 h post-activation in a population of law enforcement training volunteers.

Section snippets

Study Design

This is a prospective cohort study performed with San Diego Police and San Diego County Sheriff law enforcement officers undergoing training in the use of the Taser X-26® between December 2005 and June 2006. As a component of training, officers were offered the opportunity to experience the effects of the device. This strictly voluntary exposure was delivered by either firing the Taser® dart at the subject from a distance of 10 feet or attaching the subject to the device with two alligator

Results

A total of 66 subjects volunteered and underwent a Taser X-26® shock delivery. A total of 47 experienced a 5-s discharge. No patients were excluded from participation based on an abnormal baseline rhythm strip and none was excluded based on a history of cardiac disease.

The mean duration of discharge was 4.36 s (median 5 s, range 1.2–5 s). Six-hour troponin I results were negative (troponin I ≤ 0.2 ng/mL) in all subjects (95% confidence interval 0–5.4%).

Discussion

Both the San Diego Police Department and San Diego Sheriff's Department purchased the Taser® X26, and it was estimated that more than 1000 units were placed into service by the end of 2006. The training procedure for both agencies includes a multi-day course including how to operate the device, safety, and tactics. Officers are also provided an opportunity to actually experience the deployment of the Taser® but are under no pressure or obligation to do so. No firm numbers were recorded, but in

Conclusions

In human volunteers who received a single Taser X-26® activation, there was no evidence of myocardial injury as measured by serum troponin I at 6 h post-activation. This finding suggests that there is no cardiac injury in healthy subjects who receive a single 5-s CED shock. This study adds to the growing body of literature on human subjects that assesses the physiologic result of a CED application on human subjects.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the San Diego Police Department and the San Diego County Sheriff's Department volunteers who participated in this study. Additionally, the authors thank Biosite Incorporated for an unrestricted Educational Grant.

References (18)

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