Nuclear DNA of myocardial cells in the periphery of infarctions and scars

In 20 hearts the enlargement of muscle fibers and the increase in nuclear DNA is studied in the periphery of fresh and healed infarctions. The data of attack is verified by ECG records in most cases, five had passed undiagnosed. Selective cytophotometry is performed by measuring the largest nucleus in each of 50 fields of comparable density. Since significant differences in polyploidization exist between the control regions of hearts of similar weight primarily regions of the same heart are compared. No differences are observed in five hearts with infarctions about one week old. After five to six months the enlargement of the fibers is significaant (P less than 0.0005) while the increase in polyploidy is still slight (P less than 0.15). In all cases with scars one to nine years old the enlargement of fibers is significant (P less than 0.0005) while the increase in DNA is significant in most of them (5 X P less than 0.0005, 3 X P less than 0.005, 2 X P less than 0.01). In a case with two lesions, one posterior five (P less than 0.0005) and one anterior seven years old (P less than 0.0005), there is still slight increase in polyploidy with age (P less than 0.1). In the five undiagnosed cases only one has no significant increase in DNA. There is no correlation found between the enlargement of fibers and the increase in polyploidy in this limited number of cases.