Diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction in a community hospital: significance of CPK-MB determination.

Twice-daily CPK-MB determinations were performed but not made availabe to the physicians of 179 consecutive patients with precordial pain admitted to a community hospital to evaluate the diagnostic importance of this isoenzyme. Physician decision was based upon history and once-daily ECG and total enzymes (CPK, SGOT, LDH). Following hospital discharge, each patient's clinical record was reviewed to determine the physician diagnostic decision. The patients were subdivided into three groups. The first group consisted of 46 patients with diagnostic QRS changes and elevated total enzymes. All 46 had physician diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction and CPK-MB was present in 44 (96%). The second group included 55 patients with nondiagnostic QRS but elevated total enzymes. Physician diagnosis was acute myocardial infarction in 28 (51%) but 16 (57%) of these had no CPK-MB. The third group contained 50 patients with nondiagnostic QRS and normal enzyme levels. Six (12%) had physician diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction but none had CPK-MB. Thus, absence of CPK-MB failed to confirm physician diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction when based upon history and total enzymes in the absence of QRS changes in 22 of 34 (65%) patients.