We recently showed that myocardial injury, defined as high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) above the 99th percentile (i.e. 14 ng/L), was present in 74% of patients admitted for acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD) and that such injury carried a markedly increased risk of subsequent mortality [13]. This evidence concerns the gene TNNT2 and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.