title: Immunohistochemical techniques improve the diagnosis of myocarditis in cases of suspected sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
abstract: Immunohistochemical techniques have improved the diagnosis of myocarditis. In a post mortem study, eight specimens in each case of the formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded hearts of 20 suspected cases of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) were investigated with traditional hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunohistochemical methods. The hematoxylin-eosin stained specimens were examined for myocarditis according to the Dallas criteria; only in one case was a myocarditis diagnosed. The subsequent definition of the major histocompatibility complex class II antigens (HLA-DP,DQ,DR and HLA-DR), known to be enhanced in cases of myocarditis, the quantification of leucocytes with leucocyte common antigen (LCA) and characterization and quantification of T-lymphocytes using a specific marker (CD-3) allowed the definite diagnosis of myocarditis in three additional cases, six cases were found with moderate changes and ten cases without signs of inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dettmeyer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schlamann
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Madea
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006681:HLA-D Antigens / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D013398:Sudden Infant Death / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D006681:HLA-D Antigens