[Cardiac markers in the pericardial fluid in sudden coronary death]

The pericardial fluid was examined in 26 patients without morphological signs of severe damage to cardiac histiocytes, who died unexpectedly from ischemic heart disease (IHD)--main group. The control group comprised 26 persons, who died from other (not heart diseases-asphyxia, acute blood loss, crania-cerebral trauma). The mean age of the died was 57.4 +/- 1.5 years in the main group and 51.8 +/- 2.7 years in the control group. Cardiac markers were examined in the pericardial fluid of the died in both groups, i.e. the activity of aspartate aminotransferase (AsAT), of creatine kinase (CK), of isoenzyme KK-MB, of lactate dehydrogenase (LDG), and its isoenzyme spectrum, and, finally, the content of the cardiac troponin I (cTnI). The statistically reliable differences were found between the two groups according to the activity of AsAT, LDG, its isoenzyme spectrum and the cTnI content. Isoenzymes LDG1 and LDG2 constituted up to 60% of the LDG activity in the pericardial fluid of those who unexpectedly died from IHD. As for the control group, the LDG activity was virtually evenly distributed between all isoenzymes. No differences were found in the activity of CK and isoenzyme KK-MB between the main and control groups. Thus, the obtained data are indicative of the "cardiac" origin of enzymes in the pericardial fluid. Finally, a number of assumptions were put forward on mechanisms of hyper-fermentation in the ischemic damage of the cardiac muscle.