Lactate dehydrogenase and glutamic oxalic transaminase isozymes in heart muscle of forensic pathological cases

LDH and GOT isozyme patterns in the heart muscle of forensic pathological cases were investigated to find out the relationship between their changes and the causes of death. In most cases of death by violence, natural causes, poisoning and cold, the sum of LDH-1 and LDH-2 averaged about 80-90% of the total LDH, and GOTs was equal to or slightly lower than GOTm. In about two thirds of cases of asphyxia and drowning, LDH-1 and LDH-2 decreased and LDH-3, LDH-4 and LDH-5 increased. The activity of GOTs decreased and the ratio of GOTs/GOTm diminished. In neonate, LDH-3 showed the highest activity, followed by LDH-2 and LDH-1. GOTm was much less than GOTs. In most cases of cardiac death from unknown cause and cot death, LDH-3 increased remarkably, though it was less than LDH-1 and LDH-2, and GOTm became much less than GOTs. These findings revealed that there were some similarities in the LDH and GOT isozyme patterns in the heart muscle of the cardiac death from unknown cause and cot death and that of neonate.