[Early post myocardial infarction syndrome--a trial of assessment based on clinical course and immunologic tests]

The study analysed clinical and immunological course of 22 patients (aged 56.3 +/- 9.5) with fever (38.5 degrees C) and greatly increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in the first week after myocardial infarction. The control group consisted of 25 patients (aged 50.7 +/- 11.2) without inflammatory and infectious diseases. Clinical courses of the disease, chest x-ray, echocardiography, leucocytosis and serial CK-MB levels were analysed. The immunological investigations involved quantitative estimation of IgG, C3 complement, C4 complement and the identification of T and B lymphocytes on the basis of the rosette tests A, E and EAC. Post myocardial infarction syndrome (PMIS) manifested by fever and greatly increased ESR we observed in 64% of examined patients, but fully manifested PMIS in 14% with tendency to recurrences. We found the differences in immunological examinations compared to the control group. Pericardial effusion occurred in 64% of the patients. The treatment with corticosteroids brought dramatic relief of the symptoms with objective improvement of clinical condition. Patients with high temperature with accompanying greatly raised ESR in the first week after MI may demonstrate abortive form of the post myocardial infarction syndrome.