Diagnostic use of serum deoxyribonuclease I activity as a novel early-phase marker in acute myocardial infarction.
BACKGROUND
The delayed release of serum cardiac markers such as creatine kinase isoenzyme MB and equivocal early electrocardiographic changes have hampered a diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in the early phase after its onset. Therefore, a reliable serum biochemical marker for the diagnosis of AMI in the very early phase is desirable.


RESULTS
Serum samples were collected from the patients with AMI, unstable angina pectoris, stable angina pectoris, and other diseases. Levels of serum deoxyribonuclease I (DNase I) activity in the patients were determined. An abrupt elevation of serum DNase I activity was observed within approximately 3 hours of the onset of symptoms in patients with AMI, with significantly higher activity levels (21.7+/-5.10 U/L) in this group compared with the other groups with unstable angina pectoris (10.4+/-4.41 U/L), angina pectoris (10.8+/-3.70 U/L), and other diseases (9.22+/-4.16 U/L). Levels of the DNase I activity in serum then exhibited a marked time-dependent decline within 12 hours and had returned to basal levels within 24 hours.


CONCLUSIONS
We suggest that serum DNase I activity could be used as a new diagnostic marker for the early detection of AMI.
Kawai
Yasuyuki
Y
Third Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan.
Yoshida
Masahiro
M
Arakawa
Kenichiro
K
Kumamoto
Teruhiko
T
Morikawa
Norihiro
N
Masamura
Katsuhiko
K
Tada
Hiroshi
H
Ito
Sachiko
S
Hoshizaki
Hiroshi
H
Oshima
Shigeru
S
Taniguchi
Koichi
K
Terasawa
Hidekazu
H
Miyamori
Isamu
I
Kishi
Koichiro
K
Yasuda
Toshihiro
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000175:diagnosis; D003850:Deoxyribonuclease I / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis*
D015415:Biomarkers; D003850:Deoxyribonuclease I