Changes of liver and muscle enzymes activity in patients with rigor.
OBJECTIVE
We investigated whether changes of liver and muscle enzymes activity are associated with rigor of several causes and have any prognostic significance.


METHODS
Seventy-five patients with rigor were prospectively evaluated. Serum enzymes were measured at the onset of rigor and during the three following days.


RESULTS
Causes of rigor were bacteremia (n=28), cholangiitis (n=12), protozoan infections (n=9), viral infections (n=10) and platelet transfusions (n=16). Increases in enzymes activity were observed with rigors from infectious causes, but not with that following platelet transfusions. Patients with cholangiitis demonstrated the highest ALT elevations, while those with viral infections the highest CPK levels. In bacteremia, CPK values increased significantly only in cases with dehydration and hypokalemia.


CONCLUSIONS
Rigor per se does not cause increases in muscle or liver enzymes activities. Rather these changes are associated with the rigor's causative agent (infectious or not), the patient's general condition and the severity and extent of the underlying disease.
Sevastos
Nikolaos
N
2nd Department of Internal Medicine, National University of Athens Medical School, Hippokration General Hospital, 114 Vas. Sophias ave., 11527 Athens, Greece. nsevast@med.uoa.gr
Manesis
Emanuel K
EK
Savvas
Savvas P
SP
Galiatsatos
Nikolaos
N
Papatheodoridis
George V
GV
Archimandritis
Athanasios J
AJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D045022:Lactate Dehydrogenases / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000201:enzymology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012768:Shivering; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood
D045022:Lactate Dehydrogenases; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D003402:Creatine Kinase; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D001663:Bilirubin