The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Vol 69, 851-857, Copyright © 1975 by The American Association for Thoracic Surgery and The Western Thoracic Surgical Association
Serum enzyme data in diagnosis of myocardial infarction during or early after aorta-coronary saphenous vein bypass graft operations
JL Assad-Morell, RB Wallace, LR Elveback, GT Gau, DC Connolly, DA Barnhorst, JR Pluth and GK Danielson
In 397 cases, serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and creatine
phosphokinase (CPK) values were determined on the first, second, and third
days after aorta-coronary artery saphenous vein bypass graft operations.
Electrocardiographic (ECG) or vectorcardiographic (VCG) evidence of
postoperative transmural infarction was found in 48 cases. Multivariate
analysis indicated that GOT and CPK concentrations on day 1 had substantial
discriminatory value regarding infarction. Discrimination by GOT values was
not significantly improved by addition of CPK. Of the 61 cases positive by
GOT values measured 1 day postoperatively (greater than 100 U. per liter;
normal smaller than 24), 32 (52 percent) were negative by ECG or VCG; of
the 336 cases negative by GOT, 19 (6 percent) were positive by ECG or VCG.
GOT and CPK values increased with the number of vessels grafted and with
the use of ventricular rather than atrial vents. Total serum enzyme values
lack specificty in diagnosis of transmural infarction after the saphenous
vein bypass operation.