[Diagnostic value of serum myoglobin]

Radioimmunological determination of serum myoglobin in 115 patients is reported. Frankly pathological values were noted in 45/55 subjects with a diagnosis of acute myocardial infarct, whereas 7 displayed only a slight rise, and the remaining 3 proved to be false negatives. Pathological values were observed only 2 hr after the commencement of pain, with maxima after 6-20 hr (mean 10 hr). Values returned tonormal 37 hr after the onset of pain. In patients with angina pectoris, myocardial ischaemia, and pulmonary oedema not due to acute infarct, there was only a slight increase in serum levels, while pathological values were never noted in patients with precordial pain of non-cardiac origin.