It thus appears that cTnI may signal higher cardiac-related mortality risk independently of impaired lung function, and similar conclusions were also drawn from analyses of cohorts of COPD patients, in which cTnI32–34 or cTnT35 were related to increased risk of cardiovascular and all-cause mortality independently of the degree of respiratory impairment. The gene discussed is TNNI3; the disease is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.