Recent perspectives on the early expression immunohistochemical markers in post-mortem recognition of myocardial

Radu Moldovan1, Vlad Andrei Ichim2, Vladimir Beliș3

  • 1Emergency County Hospital "Constantin Opris", Baia Mare, Department of Forensic Medicine, Street George Coșbuc 31, Baia Mare, Maramures, 430031, Romania.

PubMed

Insights

Diagnosing early Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) post-mortem is challenging. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) offers a reliable method for detecting cellular changes, aiding in forensic pathology and early diagnosis of heart tissue death.

Area of Science:

  • Forensic Pathology
  • Cardiovascular Pathology

Background:

  • Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) is a leading global cause of death, particularly in older adults.
  • Early diagnosis of AMI during post-mortem examination presents significant challenges due to the absence of visible microscopic tissue alterations.

Approach:

  • A systematic review of 10-15 years of publications was conducted to identify immunohistochemistry (IHC) markers for early AMI detection.
  • Search terms included "Acute Myocardial Infarction," "Ischemia," "Hypoxia," "Forensic," "Immunohistochemistry," and "Autopsy," narrowing 160 articles to 50.

Key Points:

  • Immunohistochemistry (IHC) is crucial for identifying subtle cellular changes in early AMI, offering a safer alternative to traditional methods.
  • The review highlights established IHC markers considered gold standards for post-mortem AMI diagnosis.
  • Emerging IHC markers with potential for earlier and more accurate detection of myocardial infarction are also discussed.

Conclusions:

  • IHC plays a vital role in the post-mortem diagnosis of early Acute Myocardial Infarction.
  • This review provides a comprehensive overview of current and novel IHC markers for forensic and clinical pathology applications in diagnosing myocardial infarction.

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