title: A fatal case of amniotic fluid embolism with elevation of serum mast cell tryptase.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka Medical College, 569-8686, Takatsuki, Japan.
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nishio
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsui
authors.forename: Tokiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
authors.forename: Akiyoshi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tamura
authors.forename: Misa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iwata
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuki
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D053802:Tryptases