[Immunohistochemical study of inflammatory changes in the myocardium]

A common histological investigation of the myocardium was compared with immunohistochemical testing of cardiomyocytes for fibrinogen and myoglobin in a 26-year-old man who died suddenly with a several days history of respiratory ways infection. A very discrete finding in hematoxylin eosin showed a slightly non-purulent interstitial myocarditis whereas immunohistochemistry revealed a substantially bigger lesion of heart muscle fibres. Samples from different parts of myocardium showed disseminated or confluent lack of myoglobin and corresponding deposition of fibrinogen in injured cardiomyocytes. Myoglobin and fibrinogen appeared as a very appropriate combination of methods enabling to diagnose even a very minute injury of the heart muscle fibres.