A fatal case of amniotic fluid embolism with elevation of serum mast cell tryptase.
A case of a 40-year-old female who died of amniotic fluid embolism is presented. This case showed typical histological findings of this syndrome. Postmortem serum of this case showed an elevated tryptase level (67.2ng/ml, normal levels <10ng/ml). Tryptase is a neutral protease of mast cells, and an important indicator of mast cell activation and degranulation. Thus, mast cell activation, a central feature of anaphylaxis, may have been involved in the pathogenetic mechanism of this case.
Nishio
Hajime
H
Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka Medical College, 569-8686, Takatsuki, Japan.
Matsui
Kiyoshi
K
Miyazaki
Tokiko
T
Tamura
Akiyoshi
A
Iwata
Misa
M
Suzuki
Koichi
K
D000328:Adult; D001344:Autopsy; D002423:Cause of Death; D003645:Death, Sudden / Q000209:etiology*; D004619:Embolism, Amniotic Fluid / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood; D008407:Mast Cells; D011247:Pregnancy; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000097:blood*; D053802:Tryptases
D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D053802:Tryptases