Key result
Raised serum enzyme levels have no diagnostic significance for postoperative myocardial infarction until after the fifth postoperative day, as levels naturally rise post-surgery and normalize.
Why the study?
Does serial measurement of serum enzyme levels diagnose postoperative myocardial infarction in patients undergoing surgery?
Observational
Does serial measurement of serum enzyme levels diagnose postoperative myocardial infarction in patients undergoing surgery?
Elevations in cardiac enzymes (CK, HBDH, AST) are common up to 5 days postoperatively and should not be used to diagnose myocardial infarction during this early window.
Enzyme elevations lack diagnostic value for MI before postoperative day 5; supports avoiding misdiagnosis but leaves open validation with modern troponin assays.
The levels of creatine kinase, hydroxybutyric dehydrogenase, and aspartate transaminase have been serially measured in the serum of patients undergoing surgery. Serum enzyme levels often rose to a range commonly found after myocardial infarction but fell to normal within 5-10 days. Raised serum enzyme levels have no diagnostic significance in a case of postoperative chest pain until after the fifth postoperative day, but may be significant thereafter.
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Watkins et al. (1972) conducted an observational in Postoperative Myocardial Infarction. Serum enzyme levels (creatine kinase, hydroxybutyric dehydrogenase, aspartate transaminase) was evaluated on Diagnostic significance of raised serum enzyme levels. Raised serum enzyme levels have no diagnostic significance for postoperative myocardial infarction until after the fifth postoperative day, as levels naturally rise post-surgery and normalize.
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